Aguadilla, Puerto Rico – U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Border Patrol agents detained 19 undocumented immigrants from the Dominican Republic and Haiti during separate incidents on Saturday and Monday.
On Saturday afternoon, park rangers from the Puerto Rico Department of Natural and Environmental Resources (DNER) stationed in Mona Island, contacted the CBP Ramey Border Patrol station indicating the landing of 16 Haitian nationals, 11 males and 5 females, in through Playa Mujeres, in the western coast of the isle.
A U.S. Coast Guard cutter transported the group to the Mayaguez Port where Border Patrol Agents assumed custody of the migrants for processing.
On Monday morning, the Puerto Rico Police Department (PRPD) contacted the CBP Ramey Border Patrol station alerting of a possible maritime incursion on the shores of Shacks Beach in Isabela, Puerto Rico. Border Patrol agents found an abandoned 25 foot fiberglass vessel.
After a thorough search Border Patrol Agents found 3 males who claimed to be citizens of the Dominican Republic, hiding in the nearby brush.
All migrants were processed for expedited removal to their country of origin.
Last week, 57 migrants from the Dominican Republic, Haiti and Brazil were apprehended by federal law enforcement. Five males from the Dominican Republic were formally charged in U.S. District Court for alien smuggling.
