An HC-144 Ocean Sentry aircrew notified the U.S. Coast Guard 7th District of an overloaded boat in distress approximately 56 miles south of the Turks and Caicos Islands. The Coast Guard 7th District diverted the crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Paul Clark to intercept the boat carrying 182 Haitians in irregular migration status.

"Hurricane season is an especially dangerous time for unlawful maritime migration," said Lt. Nicholas Fujimoto, a Coast Guard law enforcement officer with the 7th District. "The Coast Guard is proactively monitoring the maritime approaches to the U.S. and international waters of the Caribbean to prevent the tragic loss of life at sea. Makeshift vessels are unseaworthy and incapable of handling the rougher seas caused by unpredictable weather and tropical storms."

He reiterates that migrants intercepted at sea or apprehended on land will not be allowed to remain in the United States or on U.S. territory. Any person arriving illegally may be declared ineligible for legal immigration options and repatriated to their country of origin or departure, in accordance with U.S. law, policies, and international treaty obligations.

The Coast Guard, along with its partners in Homeland Security Task Force Southeast, maintains a continuous presence with air, land, and maritime assets in the Straits of Florida, Windward Passage, Mona Passage, and the Caribbean Sea.

S/ iciHaiti