San Juan, Puerto Rico.- Federal authorities intercepted 31 Haitian migrants on Monito Island, Puerto Rico, on Monday, including 25 men, four women, and two minors. Smugglers had abandoned them, leaving them stranded on the island. Ramey Sector Chief Patrol Agent Desi DeLeon highlighted that smugglers continue to endanger vulnerable migrants by misleading them and showing no concern for their safety.
Puerto Rican forest rangers first reported the migrants’ presence, and a Customs and Border Protection aircraft confirmed over 20 people stranded. The U.S. Coast Guard cutter Joseph Dixon rescued the group and transported them to Mayaguez, where Border Patrol agents took custody for processing and deportation proceedings.
This incident follows similar rescues near Puerto Rico, including the repatriation of 58 migrants to the Dominican Republic and the rescue of 11 Haitian migrants last week. The Mona Passage remains a common but perilous migration route between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.