DECEMBER 18, 2024 — U.S Coast Guard, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Dominican Republic Navy surface and air units interdicted three vessels carrying 108 migrants during three separate unlawful maritime migration voyages near Puerto Rico.
The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Isaac Mayo completed the repatriation of 64 of the migrants from two of the interdictions to authorities from the Dominican Republic Navy in San Pedro de Macoris, Dominican Republic, Tuesday.
The most recent interdiction occurred Tuesday morning, when two CBP, Caribbean Air and Marine Branch marine units stopped a 20-foot makeshift vessel, 11 nautical miles west of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico. Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector San Juan diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Isaac Mayo to the scene. Once on scene, the crew of cutter Isaac Mayo embarked 11 migrants, nine men and a woman who claimed to be nationals of the Dominican Republic, as well as one other woman who claimed Haitian nationality.
The second interdiction occurred Monday, after the aircrew of a CBP, Caribbean Air and Marine Branch multi-role enforcement aircraft sighted a 30-foot makeshift vessel south of Mona Island, Puerto Rico. Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector San Juan diverted the Coast Guard Cutter Isaac Mayo to the scene. Once on scene, the crew of cutter Isaac Mayo embarked 53 migrants, 48 men and five women, who claiming to be Dominican Republic nationals.
The third interdiction also occurred Monday, after the aircrew of a CBP, Caribbean Air and Marine Branch, multi-role enforcement aircraft sighted a 30-foot makeshift vessel, approximately 30 nautical miles northeast of Samana, Dominican Republic. Coast Guard watchstanders at Sector San Juan coordinated with authorities from the Dominican Republic Navy, while a Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft aircrew relieved the CBP aircraft and vectored-in a responding Dominican Republic Navy vessel to the position of the suspect vessel. Once on scene, the crew of the Dominican Republic Navy vessel embarked 44 migrants, 39 men and five women who claimed to be Dominican Republic nationals.
“The strong partnerships and efficient coordination between Coast Guard, CBP partners and Dominican Republic Navy authorities led to the successful interdiction of 108 migrants and their safe removal from a highly dangerous environment,” said Cmdr. Matthew Romano, Sector San Juan chief of response. “We urge anyone thinking of taking part in an unlawful irregular migration voyage to not 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.
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