Coast Guard Repatriates 18 Migrants to the Dominican Republic

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — The Coast Guard Cutter Winslow
Griesser (WPC-1116) repatriated 18 Dominican migrants to a Dominican Navy
patrol vessel June 11 near Samana, Dominican Republic, following the
interdiction of an illegal migrant voyage Monday just off the coast of
Aguadilla, Puerto Rico, the Coast Guard 7th District said in a June 12 release.

Six other Dominican migrants traveling in the group
remain in federal custody facing possible prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s
Office for the District of Puerto Rico on potential charges of attempted
illegal reentry into a U.S. territory.

The interdictions are the result of ongoing efforts in
support of Operation Unified Resolve, Operation Caribbean Guard and the
Caribbean Border Interagency Group (CBIG).

“I’m glad that our crew was able to safely recover all
the migrants and provide them with the humanitarian assistance they required,”
said Lt. Luke A. Walsh, USCGC Winslow Griesser commanding officer. “This group
is very fortunate. The dangers in the Mona Passage are quite real, as migrants
risk losing their lives at the hands of ruthless smugglers whose vessels are
ill equipped with little or no emergency and lifesaving equipment onboard.”

A team of Ramey Sector Border Patrol agents detected the
20-foot migrant vessel, transiting without navigational lights, approximately a
mile and a half off the coast of Aguadilla.

Coast Guard watchstanders in Sector San Juan diverted
cutter Winslow Griesser to interdict the suspect vessel. As the Winslow
Griesser arrived on scene, a responding Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of
Rapid Action marine unit stopped the migrant vessel. The Winslow Griesser crew
embarked from the makeshift vessel all 24 migrants, 23 men and a woman, who
claimed Dominican nationality.

Once aboard a Coast Guard cutter, all migrants receive
food, water, shelter and basic medical attention.

The cutter Winslow Griesser transferred custody of the
six migrants facing federal prosecution to Ramey Sector Border Patrol agents in
Mayaguez, Puerto Rico.

The Caribbean Border Interagency Group unifies efforts
between U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the U.S. Coast Guard, U.S.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the United States Attorney’s Office for
the District of Puerto Rico, and Puerto Rico Police Joint Forces of Rapid
Action. These agencies share a common goal of securing the maritime border of
Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands against illegal migrant and drug
smuggling threats.

The Winslow Griesser is a 154-foot fast-response cutter
homeported in San Juan, Puerto Rico.