U.S. Coast Guard Issues Warning Against Illegal Sea Migration
Potential illegal immigrants have been urged by the US Coast Guard not to take the risky trip through the Florida Straits, Windward and Mona Passages, or the Caribbean Sea on shaky, overloaded vessels.
In a statement, the Coast Guard urged people “please do not encourage your family or friends to make the hazardous trek.”
The statement also urged family members to refrain from giving potential illegal immigrants money to pay for their travel or human smugglers.
The Coast Guard warns that come winter, the smugglers’ broken pledges might leave a vacant seat at the dinner table.
Additionally, the government stated that Homeland Security officers will stop vessels making unauthorized excursions during their continuous patrols of the land, air, and sea during the holidays.
According to the Coast Guard, “the southeastern maritime border is closed, and anyone detected trying to enter the United States illegally by water or in the country without a legal basis would be rescued and deported to their place of origin or departure.”
It further stated that anyone who traffic in humans would be prosecuted.
The Coast Guard suggested, “Choose a safe, legal approach to migration.”
More than 3,200 migrants who were attempting to go to the United States by water were detained by police during the 2021 fiscal year.
In the 2021 fiscal year, Florida authorities apprehended 1,316 Cubans, Haitians, and Dominicans, who together made up the majority of all migrants, as opposed to 588 in 2020 and 748 in 2019.
