(NewsNation) — As the Trump administration and now the state of Florida crack down on illegal immigration, the U.S. Coast Guard is taking to the skies to monitor the border.
The White House has reported the number of crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border went down in January, but there is now a focus on Florida’s coast, sometimes referred to as America’s “third border.”
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The Coast Guard regularly flies around Florida’s coast to spot smugglers and migrants on speed boats and fishing boats as they try to make their way to land.
NewsNation’s Brian Entin joined the Coast Guard on one of their operations, which lasted six hours, starting in Miami and going over several islands.
Migrants from Cuba, Haiti and even China are regularly seen in the Atlantic Ocean trying to cross. Florida Rep. Carlos Giménez said there has been an 8,000% increase in Chinese migrants coming into the state.
It is not only a law enforcement operation, as the Coast Guard saves the lives of migrants who get into danger at sea.
“Not only are these ventures illegal, they are also quite dangerous,” Eric Rodriguez with the U.S. Coast Guard said.