SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Coast Guard returned 47 migrants to the Dominican Republic between Thursday and Sunday, following three separate interdictions of irregular, unlawful maritime migration voyages in Mona Passage waters near Puerto Rico.
Ten of the interdicted migrants remain in U.S. custody to face federal prosecution by the U.S. District Court of Puerto Rico on a range of separate charges including attempted reentry into the United States under 8 U.S.C. 1326, unlawful entry into the United States under 8 U.S.C. 1325, and failure to heave to under 18 U.S.C. 2237.
The most recent interdiction occurred Saturday afternoon, after the crew of a Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft sighted a suspect makeshift vessel transiting southwest of Mona Island, Puerto Rico. Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector San Juan diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Paul Clark to carry out the interdiction. Once on scene, the cutter Paul Clark crew deployed the cutter’s Over the Horizon boat in pursuit of the suspect vessel. Shortly thereafter, the Coast Guard boat crew stopped the non-compliant vessel and embarked 27 migrants, 22 men and five women, of which 24 claimed to be Dominican Republic nationals and three others claimed to be Haitian. Twenty-two migrants from this case were repatriated to a Dominican Republic Navy vessel just off Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, Sunday, while five others awaiting prosecution were transferred to U.S. Border Patrol custody in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, Monday.
The second interdiction occurred, Friday morning, after the aircrew of a Coast Guard Air Station Miami HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft sighted a 25-foot makeshift vessel south of Mona Island, Puerto Rico. Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector San Juan diverted the cutter Paul Clark crew to interdict the suspect vessel. Once on scene, cutter Paul Clark’s small boat crew gained positive control of the suspect vessel. Following the interdiction, the cutter Paul Clark crew safely embarked 17 men and six women who claimed to be Dominican Republic nationals. Nineteen migrants from this case were repatriated to a Dominican Republic Navy vessel off Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, while four others awaiting prosecution were transferred to U.S. Border Patrol custody in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Sunday.
The first of the three interdictions occurred Oct. 23, 2024, when the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Napier stopped a 26-foot makeshift vessel, after the crew of a maritime patrol aircraft sighted the suspect vessel in waters north of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The crew embarked all seven migrants, including six men and a woman, who claimed to be Dominican Republic nationals. Six of the migrants from this case were repatriated to the Dominican Republic, while one other migrant awaiting prosecution was transferred to U.S. Border Patrol custody, Oct. 24, 2024.
“The daily work accomplished by our watchstanders and responding Coast Guard and partner agency units is instrumental to stopping unlawful migration voyages at sea and removing migrants from a very dangerous environment,” said Cmdr. Matthew Romano, Sector San Juan chief of response. “We urge anyone thinking of taking part in one of these voyages to not entrust your lives to human smugglers. Don’t take to the sea, these voyages are extremely dangerous and most often take place aboard grossly overloaded and unseaworthy vessels that are taking on water and have no live saving equipment. Instead seek safe, orderly and lawful migration pathways.”
Migrants who are interdicted at sea or apprehended ashore will not be allowed to stay in the United States or a U.S. territory. Furthermore, anyone who arrives unlawfully may be declared ineligible for legal immigration parole options and be repatriated to their country of origin or returned to the country of departure.
The Coast Guard, along with its Homeland Security Task Force – Southeast partners, maintains a continual presence with air, land, and sea assets in the Florida Straits, the Windward Passage, the Mona Passage, and the Caribbean Sea in support of Operation Vigilant Sentry. The HSTF-SE combined, multi-layered approach is designed to protect the safety of life at sea while preventing unlawful maritime entry to the United States and its territories.
For breaking news, follow us on X (formerly Twitter). For additional information, find us on Facebook and follow us on Instagram.
Make a difference on land, at sea or in the air with the Coast Guard.
Visit GoCoastGuard.com to learn more about active duty and reserve, officer and enlisted opportunities. Information on how to apply to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy can be found here.