U.S. authorities have intercepted 49 migrants in two separate maritime interdictions off the coast of Southern California and Puerto Rico.
The first interception occurred on Nov. 7, with Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP’s) Marine Interdiction Agents boarding a vessel roughly 12 nautical miles east of Catalina Island, California.
“The vessel was initially detected by an aircraft from the San Diego Air and Marine Branch. Marine Interdiction Agents transported the vessel and illegal aliens aboard to Newport Harbor, where the individuals were transferred to the U.S. Border Patrol for processing,” the CBP said in a Nov. 10 post on X.
A video attached to the post shows authorities boarding the vessel, arresting two individuals on board, and finding multiple people in the boat. In total, 18 migrants were identified under the operation.
“Anyone who attempts to enter the United States unlawfully will be apprehended, processed, and removed in accordance with U.S. law,” CBP said.
The second interdiction took place on Monday after a border protection aircraft detected a 25-foot yola-style vessel near Puerto Rico, the U.S. Coast Guard said in a Nov. 11 statement.
Coast Guard Cutter Joseph Doyle arrived at the scene and took 31 individuals from the boat, with all apprehended people claiming to be Dominican Republic nationals. Thirty were repatriated to the Dominican Republic Navy on Tuesday.
The Coast Guard clarified that migrants interdicted at sea or apprehended ashore won’t be allowed to stay in the United States or any U.S. territories.
“Crossing the treacherous Mona Pass aboard an overloaded, unseaworthy vessel with no safety equipment is quite a perilous journey; those who consider it are gambling with their lives,” Cmdr. Matthew Pinhey, the Joseph Doyle’s commanding officer, said in the statement. Mona Pass is a strait between the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.
“Unpredictable maritime conditions can instantly capsize these makeshift boats, turning an illegal voyage into a sudden, deadly mass rescue operation. To those considering making this voyage, don’t take to the sea! The immense risk is not worth your life or the lives of anyone else in the voyage.”
Seeking to cross the maritime boundary illegally is a deadly risk, the Border Patrol San Diego Sector said in a Nov. 11 post on Facebook, citing the risks of dangerous sea conditions and cartels.
The migrants attempting to cross the waters put their lives in the hands of cartels whose sole aim is to make profits, the Border Patrol said. If arrested, the migrants may get jailed and be removed to a country different from the person’s home nation, it said.
“Illegal entry carries severe consequences. Don’t risk it, use lawful pathways,” the agency said.
Two Mexicans involved in a maritime smuggling event that led to the deaths of four migrants were sentenced to prison in a federal court on Monday, according to a Nov. 9 statement from the Department of Justice (DOJ).
The incident occurred in May 2025, when a boat piloted by the duo overturned near Del Mar, California, leading to the deaths of two Mexicans and two minors, both from India, the DOJ said.
The defendants admitted in their plea agreements that the vessel was overloaded with more passengers than it could safely hold, had no radio or running lights, and that the migrants were only given trash bags to cover their clothes rather than a proper outfit for the voyage, the department said.
“Human smuggling organizations continue to show a reckless disregard for human life,” Border Patrol San Diego Sector Chief Patrol Agent Justin De La Torre said in the statement.
“This tragedy underscores the deadly consequences of maritime smuggling and our continued commitment, alongside our law enforcement partners, to hold those responsible accountable.”
