U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents arrested 39 undocumented aliens from Cuba, Dominican Republic and Ecuador yesterday, found illegally in the United States territory of Puerto Rico in four separate events.
The total count of undocumented aliens arrested by Border Patrol are; 24 Cuban, 14 Dominican Republic and 1 Ecuadorian. It is unknown if the illegal aliens arrived via boat which is a common practice.
The group of alleged 25 Cubans were transported by the US Coast Guard to the Mayaguez port of entry and transferred to the Border Patrol for immigration processing. The wet foot, dry foot policy is the name given to a consequence of the 1995 revision of the Cuban Adjustment Act of 1966. Since then, in what has become known as the “wet foot, dry foot” policy, a Cuban caught on the waters between the two nations (i.e., with “wet feet”) would be sent to the place of embarkation. One who makes it to shore (“dry feet”) might remain in the United States.
The undocumented immigrants from the Dominican Republic and Ecuador do not have the protection of the Cuban Adjustment Act or the ‘west foot, dry foot’ policy and will face deportation proceedings.
Border Patrol Agents interview and fingerprint all undocumented aliens to verify prior immigration encounters or potential criminal records.
Among the detained group of Cubans, Border Patrol Agents identified a national of the Dominican Republic.
