U.S. Coast Guard repatriates 39 Dominican migrants

San Juan, Puerto Rico.- The U.S. Coast Guard in San Juan has repatriated 39 Dominican migrants intercepted off the southeast coast of Puerto Rico while attempting to enter the territory illegally. The operation occurred on January 2, after Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents from the Maritime and Air Division spotted a suspicious 25-foot vessel approximately 41 miles off Cabo Rojo.

CBP alerted the Coast Guard, which deployed the cutter Heriberto Hernandez to intercept the vessel. Using an Over the Horizon vessel, officers stopped the boat and detained the migrants onboard.

Three individuals remain in U.S. custody, facing charges for illegal reentry brought by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Puerto Rico. The remaining migrants were repatriated to the Dominican Republic on Sunday.