The US Coast Guard in San Juan reported this Friday that it had repatriated 119 Dominican immigrants in four different operations after intercepting their vessels in waters near the island of La Mona, off the west coast of Puerto Rico.
“Embarking on a transit through the island of Mona in an overloaded and unsafe boat it’s incredibly dangerous“, General Katherine E. Truett, duty officer of the San Juan Sector law enforcement, warned in a statement.
As detailed by the Coast Guard, together with their colleagues from the Homeland Security Task Force, they will continue to be a presence in the air and in the waters to detect and deter migrants from trying to enter the United States illegally. by sea.
“We urge anyone considering doing this illegal trip to reconsider as it is not worth your life. We commend our crews and interagency partners for their hard work in ensuring these migrants returned safely to the Dominican Republic,” Truett added.
According to authorities, once aboard the Coast Guard vessel, all migrants receive food, water, shelter, and basic medical care.
Since October 1, 2022, the coast guard has detained 1,620 Dominican immigrants in Puerto Rican waters, most of them in the Mona Channel, which is the main migratory route between the two islands.