More than 20 Cuban migrants stopped near Key West, federal agents say

More than 20 Cuban migrants were stopped near Key West this week, federal agents said.

U.S. Border Patrol Miami Sector Chief Patrol Agent Thomas G. Martin tweeted Tuesday that there were “24 migrants from Cuba” and that the Border Patrol took them into custody.

The people were stopped Monday in a vessel and on Boca Grande Key, which is about 14 miles west of Key West, according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Air and Marine Operations Southeast regional director. That agency said 29 migrants were found.

“No injuries and they were all turned over to the Coast Guard for processing,” according to the agency.

Rob Brisley, a spokesman for U.S. Customs and Borders Protection in Atlanta, said Tuesday the men were transferred to the custody of the U.S. Border Patrol.

“The migrants will be interviewed and processed for removal proceedings,” Brisley said.

This story was originally published May 18, 2021 at 4:31 PM.

Gwen Filosa

Miami Herald

Gwen Filosa covers Key West and the Lower Florida Keys for FLKeysNews.com and the Miami Herald and lives in Key West. She was part of the staff at the New Orleans Times-Picayune that in 2005 won two Pulitzer Prizes for coverage of Hurricane Katrina. She graduated from Indiana University.