U.S. Coast Guard repatriates 32 migrants to Dominican Republic

The U.S. Coast Guard repatriated 32 migrants to the Dominican Republic after intercepting an overloaded makeshift vessel carrying 40 undocumented migrants near Desecheo Island, west of Puerto Rico.

According to U.S. authorities, the operation began after a Customs and Border Protection aircraft detected a suspicious boat measuring between 20 and 30 feet in length and carrying a large number of passengers. The Coast Guard cutter Heriberto Hernandez intercepted the vessel on Sunday and took all occupants into custody.

Those aboard included 36 Dominican nationals, three Haitian nationals, and one Uzbek citizen. Following the interdiction, 32 of the migrants were returned to the Dominican Republic as part of ongoing efforts to curb irregular maritime migration in the region.

Coast Guard officials highlighted the operation as an example of the coordinated work between maritime security agencies and the Homeland Security Task Force. Sector San Juan Response Chief Commander Matthew Romano praised the professionalism of the crews involved in preventing illegal migration attempts by sea.