28 Cuban migrants arrive on boat in the Keys in two landings, U.S. Border Patrol says
Two sets of migrants from Cuba landed in the Florida Keys Tuesday morning — continuing a surge of people exiting the island nation to flee deteriorating economic and political conditions.
In all, the Border Patrol said it took 28 people into custody who were discovered after they arrived by boat in the Lower Keys.
Adam Hoffner, division chief for U.S. Customs and Border Protection in Miami, said one group arrived in a homemade wooden boat within Fort Zachary Taylor Historic State Park in Key West at 8 a.m. In all, 15 people were in that group — 10 men, four women and one child, Hoffner said.
“The group reported that they departed from Havana,” Hoffner said.
The other group made landfall on Ballast Key, a small island about eight miles west of Key West, Hoffner said. That group was all men, he said.
“This event is still under investigation. There were no medical concerns reported on scene,” Hoffner said. “All 28 migrants will be processed for removal proceedings and turned over to [Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Removal Operations],” Hoffner said in an email.
The landings come two days after four Cuban men made landfall in Key West aboard a small inflatable dinghy.
