Coast Guard repatriates 182 Haitian migrants

The U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Diligence returned 182 Haitians to their homeland on Wednesday after they were apprehended in an interdiction south of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

A Coast Guard aircrew detected "a disabled migrant vessel" on Saturday about 57 miles south of the islands. The Coast Guard directed the Coast Guard Cutter Paul Clark to interdict the vessel, according to the Coast Guard. 

"Hurricane season is an especially dangerous time for unlawful maritime migration," Coast Guard Lt. Nicholas Fujimoto said.

"The Coast Guard is proactively monitoring the maritime approaches to the U.S. and international waters of the Caribbean to prevent the tragic loss of life at sea," Fujimoto added. "Makeshift vessels are unseaworthy and incapable of handling the rougher seas caused by unpredictable weather and tropical storms."

Migrants apprehended at sea or ashore "will not be allowed to stay in the United States or a U.S. territory," according to the press release.

The Coast Guard reports repatriating 507 Haitian migrants since October 1, 2023.