Miami Sector Border Patrol agents persist in their efforts to apprehend Cuban immigrants, responding to frequent migrant landings, as stated by Acting Chief Patrol Agent Samuel Briggs II. The information was disseminated by Briggs via social media.
Briggs declared, "During the past 24 hours, U.S. Border Patrol agents in the Miami Sector responded to migrant landings at Key Biscayne National Park & Key Largo, Florida. 25 Cuban migrants were taken into custody & will be processed for removal proceedings."
This news emerges following Florida Republican Senator Marco Rubio's skepticism regarding the legitimacy of Cuban asylum seekers in America and their capacity to travel back home frequently. CBS News reported Rubio's statement during a Senate Appropriations Committee meeting: "If you come from Cuba, you are presumed to be fleeing political persecution, so you're automatically eligible for refugee cash, you're eligible for food stamps, and within a year you can apply for a green card, then you can travel to Cuba as often as you want."
The United States Coast Guard (USCG), according to its press release, frequently collaborates with Border Patrol agents in the Miami Sector when addressing migrant landings. Lt. Lucy M. Wright of the Coast Guard Sector Key West said, "Our partnerships with federal, state and local agencies in the Florida Keys are critical to the success of Coast Guard operations in the south Florida Straits and Caribbean, including our maritime border security. Unlawful maritime migration is inherently dangerous and very often deadly, and we’re fortunate that this case resulted in another life saved due to the diligent efforts of our command center and search and rescue crews."
In April 2022, a Department of Homeland Security press release revealed that 28 individuals were returned to Cuba by the crew of Coast Guard Cutter Isaac Mayo after an interception off Florida's coast.
Lt. Peter Hutchison from the Coast Guard Seventh District reiterated their dedication towards upholding maritime security, stating, "The Coast Guard is maintaining a heavy maritime presence to detect and interdict anyone attempting to illegally migrate by sea in the Florida Straits and Caribbean region. These voyages are not only illegal, but also incredibly dangerous. No one should risk their lives on unsafe rustic vessels in unpredictable seas."
