The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Isaac Mayo repatriated 41 migrants to Cuba on Friday after intercepting several unlawful maritime migration attempts as part of Operation Vigilant Sentry.
The first interdiction occurred on August 16, when a Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations aircrew spotted a migrant vessel approximately 39 miles south of Key West and alerted Coast Guard Sector Key West watchstanders.
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On the following Monday, a good Samaritan reported another vessel to Coast Guard Sector Miami, located about 8 miles southeast of Port Everglades. A third interdiction took place on Tuesday when another Customs and Border Protection aircrew detected a migrant vessel approximately 58 miles south of Marathon, leading to another Coast Guard response.
“The Coast Guard, in collaboration with Homeland Security Task Force – Southeast (HSTF-SE), works tirelessly to intercept and prevent unlawful migration attempts like these,” stated Lt. j.g. Jesus Martinez Borges, a Coast Guard District Seven enforcement officer. “Our partnership with HSTF-SE, including Customs and Border Protection, greatly enhances our ability to detect and deter migrants from the life-threatening risks associated with unlawful maritime migration. We urge people not to take to the seas.”
Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, migrants receive processing to establish their identity and are provided with food, water, shelter, and basic medical care before being repatriated to their home country or the country they departed from.
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The Coast Guard, along with its HSTF-SE partners, maintains a constant presence in key maritime regions such as the Florida Straits, the Windward Passage, the Mona Passage, and the Caribbean Sea as part of Operation Vigilant Sentry. This multi-layered approach aims to protect lives at sea while preventing unlawful maritime entry into the United States and its territories.
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