The United States Coast Guard intercepted hundreds of illegal aliens in boats headed towards Florida over the weekend.
According to Fox News, a total of 305 people fleeing Bahamas and Haiti were “unlawful maritime migration attempts” during Operation Vigilant Sentry and rescued from unsafe vessels and returned to their countries of origin (via Fox):
The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Thetis brought 196 people back to the war-torn country of Haiti on Monday after intercepting two migrant voyage last Wednesday and Thursday.
The other 109 migrants were intercepted by crews of the Coast Guard Cutter Raymond Evans and Cutter Richard Etheridge and handed to the Royal Bahamas Defense Force on Sunday.
“Irregular maritime migration is unlawful and extremely dangerous,” Coast Guard Enforcement Officer Lt. Nick Fujimoto said in a statement to the outlet on Tuesday. “The OVS maritime border security mission is often equal parts law enforcement and humanitarian response, especially as we enter hurricane season and marine weather becomes more severe and unpredictable.”
Last month, Townhall covered how the Coast Guard repatriated 23 Cubans who were en route to the United States by boat.
“Under Title 8, migrants who arrive without authorization will be repatriated and deemed ineligible for legal immigration pathways,” Lt. j.g. Nicholas Fujimoto of the Coast Guard Seventh District Enforcement Branch, said in a statement.
“Do not risk your life only to be sent back. Don’t take to the sea,” he added.
