They deport 4 Dominicans and 9 Haitians from northwest Puerto Rico.

The U.S. Coast Guard deported four Dominicans and nine Haitians to the Dominican Republic when they attempted to enter Puerto Rico irregularly via Rincon Beach, a municipality in the northwestern Caribbean island.

The U.S. agency said in a statement that the migrants were deported this Wednesday after interrupting operations involving local and federal security forces in support of the Caribbean Border Intelligence Commission (CBIG, in English).

“The move is the result of a joint effort between the Coast Guard and our Caribbean Border Group partners, who will work daily to protect the country’s southern maritime border,” said Captain Gregory Maggie, San Juan Sector Commander of the Coast Guard.

“Many people do not realize how close they are to losing their lives while traveling illegally, and if they are caught, they will not even realize that they will face trial for illegal immigration to the United States,” he said.

Immigrants were repatriated following the detention of a 6-meter-long boat carrying non-US citizens off the coast of Rincon last Friday by a unit of the Puerto Rico Police Joint Rapid Action Force.

Puerto Rico Police reported the discovery to the Coast Guard in the San Juan Sector, which sent patroller Herberto Hernandez to their location on Rinkon Beach to assist them.

During fiscal year 2022 (October 1, 2021 to January 21, 2022), the Coast Guard intercepted 44 illegal voyages off the coasts of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands, with 798 Dominicans, 253 Haitians and Venezuelans. Another 35 are unidentified national species.