Thread: Coast Guard can't catch illegal Cuban immigrants

Coast Guard can't catch illegal Cuban immigrants

Last updated on: 7/23/2007 6:39:33 PM by Blake Burman

SANIBEL: The U.S. Coast Guard admits that it knew illegal immigrants from Cuba were on their way to Southwest Florida on Sunday night, but because of a lack of resources - they couldn't stop them from coming ashore.

The 27 Cubans - 19 men, seven women and a 12-year-old boy, landed on Sanibel Island just before 10 p.m.

It all happened behind John Simler's beach front home.

"All of a sudden, I saw a search light on my back deck. I called 911, they told me, the police are on the way have it under control. They wouldn't tell me what was happening," said Simler.

A few minutes later the action got even closer.

"I saw two people running across the beach side of the house," said Simler.

But he wasn't the first one to spot the illegal immigrants; Coast Guard officials say they had been tracking their boat for close to four hours.

"We were receiving info that a vessel was en route. We just couldn't catch it," said Chief Glen Lee, of the U.S. Coast Guard.

The problem, even with 27 people on board, the smuggler's go-fast boat was faster than the Coast Guard cutter. Other agencies also joined in the chase, but none of them could stop the Cubans.

"We did pinpoint their position, however, we were unable to catch them due to the power of their vessel, compared to our vessel," said Chief Lee.

This is the fourth time in 18 months that illegal Cuban immigrants have come ashore on Sanibel Island. They have also come landed in Naples, Marco Island and Little Gasparilla Island.

The Coast Guard says the reason this keeps happening in our area is simple. They are spread too thin.

"Yes, we do need more resources in Southwest Florida. Of course we do, it's apparent," said Chief Lee.

The Coast Guard says it's not just about the speed of their boats, it's about location. The district that responsible for our area patrols about 4,000 miles of coastline.


http://www.nbc-2.com/articles/readartic ... 646&z=3&p=

The Coasties are overloaded with work and underfunded, but they do a great job
and save scores of American lives

So, can we expect the same if it's a boatload of terrorists?

Time to do away with the "wet foot-dry foot" rule .That would stop alot of this.