MIAMI, Fla. – City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez called on President Donald Trump to take stricter action on flights coming in to Miami International Airport.
Suarez said he sent a letter to the President on Thursday asking for a ban on flights coming into MIA from international and domestic coronavirus hot spots.
In the letter, Suarez requested the suspension of flights and for the movement of food, medical supplies and protect personal equipment (PPE) to be prioritized, something only the President could authorize.
On Friday, Suarez talked to Local 10 on a live video chat.
“The biggest threat right now to the city of Miami unfortunately is Miami International Airport. My responsibility as mayor is to use all the tools at my disposal to protect my residents,” said Suarez.
On Friday afternoon, Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez was asked about Suarez’s letter to the president.
Gimenez said that the Miami International Airport doesn't fall under Suarez's purview and Gimenez said it is important that the flights keep coming.
"MIA is Miami-Dade County and our airport director has already written a letter to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and probably to The White House itself saying please disregard the letter. MIA and the flights in and out of MIA are vital to Miami-Dade County. MIA is one of the few pharmacy centers, pharm hubs, in the world, a lot of medicines fly in the bellies of those passenger airliners," Gimenez said.
President Trump told Local 10 News that he is “taking the matter into consideration.”