Thread: C.B.P. Pull 54 Illegal Aliens from Sea

C.B.P. News Release

CBP and Partners Intercept Immigrant Boat near Puerto Rico, Pull 54 from Sea

(Thursday, February 05, 2009)

Washington - U.S. Customs and Border Protection collaborative law enforcement efforts resulted in repatriating 38 Dominican migrants to La Romana, Dominican Republic Thursday morning, while 16 others were detained for prosecution following an at-sea interdiction.

On Tuesday, CBP Air and Marine assets spotted a small boat loaded with illegal immigrants in the Caribbean Ocean near Puerto Rico. When the boat capsized, CBP agents, with the aid from its partners in the Caribbean Border Interagency Group (CBIG), rescued 54 people approximately 13 nautical miles west of Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

The dramatic events started around 10 a.m., on Tuesday when a CBP Air and Marine surveillance plane spotted the boat. A closer look revealed a small boat overloaded with possible illegal immigrants. CBP immediately dispatched several boats to the scene and notified the U.S. Coast Guard and Puerto Rican police.

Responding law enforcement boats intercepted the vessel in less than an hour. However, the vessel began to take on water as Puerto Rican police moved in to transfer the passengers. Two passengers dove into the water and the remaining passengers moved toward the police boat as the small “yolaâ€

This is good but they need to do more.