USA – The United States Coast Guard says since October last year, it has been repatriating an increasing number of Cuban migrants who have been making desperate attempts via the Caribbean Sea to land on US shores.

“Since Oct 1, at least 5,043 Cubans have attempted to illegally migrate to the US via the maritime environment compared to 4,473 in fiscal year 2015”, the Coast Guard said. “These statistics represent the total number of at-sea interdictions, landings and disruptions in the Florida Straits, the Caribbean and Atlantic”, it added. It said the 50 migrants repatriated were a result of five separate interdictions of chugs, or rustic vessels, in the Florida Straits. “Migrants who choose to board unseaworthy vessels put their lives at severe risk of injury and death”, Gordon continued. “Immigration policies have not changed, the Coast Guard’s missions have not changed. Migrants interdicted at sea will be returned to their country of origin in accordance with immigration laws.”(Jamaican observer)…[+]