The US Coast Guard has repatriated 63 migrants to the Dominican Republic after intercepting an overloaded vessel carrying a total of 66 individuals in the Mona Passage, near Puerto Rico. The repatriation occurred on Saturday, following the interception on Friday.
The migrants were transferred to two Dominican Republic Navy vessels after they were brought aboard the Coast Guard cutter Winslow Griesser. Three of the individuals are currently in federal custody, pending further investigation and potential charges related to their attempts to illegally reenter the United States.
The operation commenced on Friday afternoon when the crew of a Coast Guard HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircraft spotted a makeshift 30-foot vessel approximately 70 nautical miles northwest of Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. Described as severely overloaded, the vessel prompted Coast Guard watchstanders in San Juan to reroute the cutter Winslow Griesser to the scene. An MH-60T Jayhawk helicopter was also deployed from Air Station Borinquen for aerial support.
Due to safety concerns for those on board, the cutter’s crew rescued all 66 migrants. Among the group were 59 individuals who identified themselves as nationals of the Dominican Republic—comprising 55 men and four women—as well as seven identified as Haitian nationals, including six men and one woman.
“I’m proud of my crew and the Coast Guard aircrews for stopping what could have been a treacherous journey,” said Lt. Alex Kearney, commanding officer of the Winslow Griesser. He emphasized the dangers of traveling in such conditions, particularly in a vessel lacking adequate safety equipment.
Kearney also cautioned that those involved in smuggling operations could face severe penalties, including prosecution and imprisonment. After the interception, the Winslow Griesser rendezvoused with Dominican Navy vessels Bellatrix and Acrux in the Mona Passage to complete the transfer of the migrants for repatriation.
The Coast Guard confirmed that migrants intercepted at sea, or those apprehended upon arrival on shore, would not be allowed to remain in the United States or its territories. Those entering unlawfully might be sent back to their home countries or the points from which they departed, and could be ineligible for certain immigration provisions.
This interception is part of ongoing US Coast Guard efforts to prevent unauthorized maritime migration across the Caribbean, including the Florida Straits, Windward Passage, and Mona Passage. The Coast Guard collaborates under Operation Vigilant Sentry and Operation Bahamas, Turks, and Caicos, utilizing various assets to conduct maritime patrols and address illegal crossings.
The operation is also guided by the Homeland Security Task Force initiative, established by US Executive Order 14159, which aims to coordinate federal efforts against criminal organizations engaged in human smuggling and trafficking. The San Juan task force includes agencies such as the FBI, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and other federal law enforcement bodies.
