Over two dozen migrants from Cuba were taken into custody Thursday morning after coming onshore on Key Biscayne.
U.S. Border Patrol said agents and local law enforcement responded to the landing of a "rustic vessel" around 3 a.m.
There were 26 people in total, including 24 adult men and two adult women, who were taken into custody. U.S. Customs and Border Protection told NBC 6 the group was out at sea for four days.
The Hurricane season is on. Our meteorologists are ready. Sign up for the NBC 6 Weather newsletter to get the latest forecast in your inbox.
Widespread shortages and daily blackouts in Cuba have led to protests and a continued mass migration of Cubans to the United States.
“The situation in Cuba is untenable. It’s worst than it’s ever been," said Carmen Pelaez with givetocuba.org.
Local
Later Thursday, it was reported that 10 Cuban migrants made landfall in the Florida Keys.
The eight men and two women were taken into custody after arriving at Key Colony Beach on a rustic vessel, officials said.
CBP data shows in the fiscal year 2022, the agency has had encounters with nearly 200,000 Cubans compared to 39,000 in 2021.
According to the Coast Guard, they’ve interdicted more than 6,000 Cubans in the fiscal year 2022. On Wednesday, 55 Cubans were repatriated.
Some Cubans have taken to the streets after most of the country endured nearly three days without power after Hurricane Ian. Before the storm, Cubans were already dealing with an economic crisis and widespread power outages.
“The Cuban government cut off the internet again because so many disturbing images of the oppression were coming out. I think we here need to amplify their voices," Pelaez said.
The Cuban government has made a rare request for emergency assistance from the Biden administration, but the State Department has not specified if aid will be provided.
“I think it’s very hard for any government of the world to give aid to Cuba because we often see that they put the aid for sale or they reject it. Historically, Cuba has rejected the aid given from the US, which is why it’s important for us to take it upon ourselves and which is why it’s important for us to create relationships with civil society on the island," Pelaez said.
