The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is in the process of finalizing plans to airlift willing Puerto Ricans recovering from Hurricane Maria to the U.S. mainland, according to CBS News.
CBS’s David Begnaud was the first to report that FEMA is attempting to do an “air breach,” which would allow Puerto Ricans staying in shelters on the island to be airlifted to Florida and New York.
FEMA has never used an air breach before, according to Begnaud.
“At the Governor’s request FEMA will be providing transportation assistance to select locations in the Continental United States,” a FEMA spokesperson said in a statement to The Hill.
“Priority of transportation will be available to those approximately 3,000 survivors who are still residing in shelters,” the statement continued.