The Coast Guard has reported an uptick in Cubans trying to enter the United States through the Florida Straits this month, with the surge apparently triggered by false rumors the Obama administration was about to loosen its immigration policy.

Through 6 a.m. Monday, 315 vessels from Cuba had tried entering the U.S., compared with 240 attempts during all of last January, Coast Guard records show. In January 2013, there were only 88 attempts.