Anyone attempting illegal maritime migration will be interdicted and repatriated to their country of origin or departure, consistent with US law and policy.
“The Coast Guard and our federal, state and local partners constantly patrol the maritime approaches to the United States to detect and deter illegal maritime migration attempts,” said Lt. Cameron Box, a Seventh Coast Guard District enforcement officer. “Anyone encountering an illegal maritime venture or who suspects a vessel of human smuggling at sea should immediately contact the Coast Guard on VHF radio Channel 16. Don’t take to the sea and risk your life just to be repatriated and denied future lawful entry to the US.”
The crew of a commercial vessel notified Coast Guard District Seven watchstanders that they embarked five Cuban nationals from an unsafe vessel, Wednesday. On Saturday, the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Isaac Mayo rendezvoused with the vessel to take custody of the five aliens pending disposition.
Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, aliens are processed to determine their identity and are provided food, water, shelter, and basic medical attention before repatriation to their country of origin or return to the country from which they departed.
“Merchant vessels often render assistance to nearby mariners in distress and attempt to transfer them to Coast Guard custody at sea because of our responsibility as a regional Rescue Coordination Center,” said Petty Officer First Class Diana Sherbs, a Seventh Coast Guard District public affairs spokesperson. “In the case of alien ventures, whether they are transferred to the Coast Guard at sea or to customs and immigration authorities ashore at their next port of call, they are processed to determine their identity and legal status. If they do not have a legal basis to enter or remain in the US, they are processed for removal or repatriation to their country of origin or 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 as part of the broader federal border control and territorial integrity mission. The HSTF-SE combined, multi-layered approach is designed to protect the safety of life at sea while preventing illegal entry to the United States and its territories by sea.
Since the beginning of fiscal year 2025, on October 1, Coast Guard crews repatriated a total of 103 aliens to Cuba, compared to 749 aliens to Cuba in FY24 and 6,618 aliens to Cuba in FY23.
- HSTF-SE performs alien interdiction operations in the Caribbean Basin
- HSTF-SE maritime border security interdiction and repatriation b-roll video
- HSTF-SE maritime border security detection and interdiction b-roll video
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