TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida senators are lending bi-partisan support to encourage federal justice officials to send law enforcement help to combat crime in Puerto Rica in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) sent a letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday, urging him to work with the island to determine how federal law enforcement can best assist the territory in these trying times.
The letter comes amid reports of increased violent crime in Puerto Rico in the four months following the hurricane, where many businesses remain closed and many still lack power. The letter cites media reports of 46 homicides in the last month alone, which is twice the rate compared to this time last year. Many are attributed to drug gangs taking advantage of diminished police presence.