Immigration
20 migrants found stranded on uninhabited islands west of Florida keys
Chief Patrol Agent Slosar has been documenting the dangerous vessels the migrants use to make the dangerous journey from their homeland to the U.S.
June 15, 2022 2:56pm
Updated: June 15, 2022 5:48pm
Border Patrol agents found 20 migrants on Monday and Tuesday who had become stranded on uninhabited islands west of the Florida Keys, reported Local 10 News.
The U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Customs and Border Protection rescued eight migrants on Tuesday in the Marquesas Keys, about 20 miles west of Key West, reported Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar.
“Good Samaritans encountered the migrants & notified authorities,” tweeted Slosar.
Earlier today, 8 additional migrants were rescued by #BorderPatrol agents, @CBPAMORegDirSe & @USCGSoutheast partners after being stranded on an uninhabited island 20 miles west of Key West. Good Samaritans encountered the migrants & notified authorities.
— Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar (@USBPChiefMIP) June 14, 2022
#cbp #Cuba pic.twitter.com/LKuPuymGfF
At around 12:00 p.m. on Monday, 12 other migrants were found in the same area, which is about 20 miles west of Key West, added Slosar. He added that the group of undocumented migrants included nine adult males and three adult females.
#BREAKING: At 12:00 p.m., Miami Sector #BorderPatrol agents along with @CBPAMORegDirSE & @USCGSoutheast partners rescued 12 #Cuban migrants who were stranded on an island 20 miles west of #KeyWest. There were 9 adult males & 3 adult females in the group. No injuries reported. pic.twitter.com/ei0VfUQrll
— Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar (@USBPChiefMIP) June 13, 2022
Slosar had reported an additional 19 migrants from Cuba that were rescued by the Coast Guard on Saturday. The migrants had become stranded on the Dry Tortugas Islands, about 70 miles west of Key West.
The group allegedly spent five days at sea on their makeshift vessel after its engine failed.
On Saturday, #BorderPatrol agents along with @USCGSoutheast partners rescued 19 migrants from #Cuba who were stranded on the Dry Tortugas islands, 70 miles west of #KeyWest. The group spent 5 days at sea onboard a homemade vessel that had engine failures. No injuries reported. pic.twitter.com/9RWjeY5aq8
— Chief Patrol Agent Walter N. Slosar (@USBPChiefMIP) June 12, 2022
On his Twitter account, Slosar has been documenting the dangerous vessels the migrants use to make the dangerous journey from their homeland to the U.S.
According to federal data, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has seen a surge of encounters with migrants from Haiti and Cuba. As of May of this year, CBP has intercepted 140,000 migrants from the two countries, compared to 88,000 last year.
On Tuesday, the Coast Guard repatriated 52 people to Cuba, after intercepting six vessels off the Florida Keys.
"Don't take to the sea," said Lt. Simon JuulHindsgaul, Coast Guard Seventh District. "The possibility of being stopped by Coast Guard crews while illegally migrating through the Caribbean Sea is high."
