MIAMI - Crewmembers aboard the Coast Guard Cutter Dauntless repatriated 28 Haitian migrants to Cap Haitian, Haiti, Tuesday.
On Feb. 28, crews from the Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba interdicted a 35-foot vessel 35-miles north of Mona Island, Puerto Rico. The crew aboard the Escanaba safely embarked 20 male, 8 female Haitian migrants and two suspected smugglers. The migrants were later transferred to the cutter Dauntless for repatriation and the two suspected smugglers were transferred to government officials in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.
"The Coast Guard continues to aggressively patrol the waters around the United States, including Puerto Rico, to deter illegal migrant activity and protect our borders," said Cmdr. Tim Cronin, Coast Guard Seventh District deputy chief of enforcement. "Our main concern is the safety of life at sea, and when migrants put their lives in the hands of ruthless smugglers they put their lives in jeopardy. When the Coast Guard interdicts migrants at sea, they will be returned to their country of origin and smugglers will be prosecuted.”
Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter all migrants receive food, water, shelter, and basic medical attention.
The Escanaba is a 270-foot medium endurance cutter, homeported in Boston.
The Dauntless is a 210-foot medium endurance cutter, homeported in Galveston, Texas.
For more information on how to legally immigrate to the U.S., call U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at 1-800-375-5283 or visit the USCIS website at www.uscis.gov.