MIAMI, United States.- The United States embassy in Havana warned Cuban rafters this Sunday of a reinforcement of surveillance in the Straits of Florida, with a view to confronting the increase in irregular maritime migration.
The diplomatic legation on the island published on its social network account Twitter several tweets accompanied by a statement, in which he assures that the migratory crisis has become a concern of National Security.
“The Joint Homeland Security Task Force increased its operational posture to address a recent increase in irregular maritime migration. Agencies are increasing patrols and law enforcement by land, air and sea, day and night,” reads one of the Embassy publications.
“Persons attempting to enter the country illegally by sea will be intercepted and must await repatriation to their country of origin or the country from which they departed, in accordance with US law, policy, and international treaty obligations,” it adds. the information published this Sunday.
According to the statement, the Joint Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF-SE) has as its main objective “to deter, prevent and respond to illegal maritime migration under ‘Operation Vigilant Sentry'”.
“The primary goals of this interagency group are to prevent loss of life at sea, and to disrupt illegal maritime migration by utilizing DHS forces, reinforced by other maritime, air, and land assets, also utilizing federal, state, and local capabilities.”
The migration agreements between Cuba and the United States establish that people who are intercepted on the high seas will be returned to the island.
“The US Border Patrol Miami Sector is committed to working with our federal, state and local law enforcement interagency partners in an integrated effort to address border security threats in Florida and any increase in irregular maritime migration,” Walter N. Slosar, chief patrol agent for Border Patrol Sector Miami, and deputy director of HSTF-SE, said in the statement.
So far this fiscal year (October 2021 to August 2022), the United States Coast Guard (USCG) has repatriated more than 5,000 Cubans who tried to enter US territory illegally.
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