Florida senators are encouraging federal officials to send law enforcement to combat crime in Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Bill Nelson 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 reports of 46 homicides in the last month alone (twice the rate compared to this time last year).
Many are attributed to drug gangs taking advantage of diminished police presence.