The Coast Guard detained an alien crewmember illegally present in the U.S. and the captain of a commercial fishing vessel near Port Isabel last Friday afternoon.
During a commercial fishing vessel boarding, a Coast Guard Station South Padre Island boat crew identified a crewmember as a Mexican alien illegally present in the U.S. The captain of the fishing vessel, Los Nietos, had an outstanding felony warrant for weapons charges. The alien was transferred to U.S. Border Patrol for processing and the vessel’s captain was booked into the South Padre Island Jail.
“The Coast Guard remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring the security of our nation. The at-sea apprehension of an alien illegally present in the U.S. and a vessel’s captain with an active arrest warrant, underscores the critical role we play in both immigration enforcement and national security.” said LCDR Nina Mcdonald, Enforcement Division Chief, USCG Sector Corpus Christi. “Alongside our partners, the Coast Guard will continue to uphold the rule of law and disrupt illicit activity along our nation’s maritime border.”
Members of the South Padre Island Police Department, Customs and Border Protection Air Marine Operations, and the U.S. Border Patrol assisted in the case.
The original announcement can be found here.