22943: (Hermantin)Sun-Sentinel-20 illegal immigrants rounded up after landing at Hutchi (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: leonie hermantin <lhermantin@hotmail.com>

20 illegal immigrants rounded up after landing at Hutchinson Island



By Gabriel Margasak
The Stuart News

August 10, 2004

HUTCHINSON ISLAND · Beachside hotel workers knew something was wrong when
the four soaking wet men tried to check in early Monday -- with wet money.

Hours later, at least 20 suspected illegal immigrants were in custody after
coming ashore by boat near the Holiday Inn Oceanside in Jensen Beach. The
group included 16 men, three women and a 17-year old girl. Hailing from
Haiti, Guyana and Jamaica, all were in good health. Authorities searched
into the afternoon for more people, officials said.

The U.S. Coast Guard reported the incident was the first such landing in the
area since February, when the guard began "Operation Able Sentry" in
response to the rebellion in Haiti.

Hundreds of Haitians were rescued at sea and repatriated after fleeing the
turmoil earlier this year that led to the departure of former President
Jean-Bertrand Aristide in February.

Many refugees land here with hopes of reaching the large Haitian community
in Fort Pierce, but the Coast Guard said they had stopped such incidents
from February until Monday.

"During that period, more than 2,189 Haitians have been repatriated" before
they could come ashore, said Petty Officer 3rd Class Gretchen Eddy, a Coast
Guard spokeswoman.

The streak ended early Monday on Hutchinson Island when a boat captain
beached a 30-foot, twin-engine vessel near the Beachwood Villas.

Sewall's Point Police Officer Brad Baker reported seeing the first two
suspects about 4:30 a.m. near the police station off North Sewall's Point
Road.

They were captured after a short chase, he said.

Hotel workers called shortly afterward.

Martin County sheriff's deputies, the U.S. Boarder Patrol, the U.S. Coast
Guard and other agencies set up a perimeter from Sewall's Point to the St.
Lucie County line.

Three of the travelers were reportedly Jamaican nationals who had previously
been deported from the United States, and they could face criminal charges
for re-entry, said Art Bullock, a U.S. Border Patrol agent-in-charge.

The others will be sent to the Krome Detention Center in Miami for
processing and likely deportation, he said.

Information from The Associated Press was used to supplement this report.¶
Copyright © 2004, South Florida Sun-Sentinel

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