A third suspected human smuggling boat was intercepted in Newport Harbor on Saturday, bringing the total to three such incidents in less than a month for the wealthy Orange County enclave.
The latest vessel carried 14 people — 11 men, two women, and a young boy — all claiming to be Mexican nationals, federal officials said. The interception occurred around 1:30 p.m. When a US Customs and Border Protection Interceptor Vessel captured the fishing-type boat in ocean waters outside Newport and escorted it to dock. One passenger suffering from dehydration and seasickness was evaluated and cleared by emergency medical workers before all 14 were turned over to US Border Patrol. The boat itself was seized by authorities.
Erik Weigand, a Newport City Council member, expressed alarm at the repeated incursions into the busy local waters. “It’s alarming,” said Weigand. “We know that it’s due to the borders being much more secure than they were in the previous administration, so these guys are finding new ways to get into the country.”
The CBP boat’s arrival drew significant attention from boaters and beachgoers gathered for the annual Pacific Airshow, an event featuring US Air Force planes that draws massive crowds to Newport. Video shows at least two suspects being detained by agents on the dock in handcuffs.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesman issued a statement emphasizing the dangers of maritime migration. “Maritime migration is dangerous and can too often result in death,” said the statement. “Illegal aliens should not embark on a dangerous journey. The United States border will remain closed to illegal migration by sea, air, and land.”
Federal officials say human traffickers in Mexico commonly collaborate with organized crime syndicates to move migrants into the US, and that sea routes have become more attractive as land border security has tightened. Maritime smuggling is considered the most expensive and riskiest method traffickers employ. In July, authorities found 21 migrants packed onto a small boat, including an unresponsive 56-year-old man who later died.
Weigand contends that Newport Harbor’s heavy volume of pleasure boats may provide cover for smuggling operations. He is now pushing to install security cameras at the harbor’s narrowest point to detect untagged vessels and identify potential traffickers before they reach shore.
“Having some fixed equipment right at the narrowest part of our harbor would be a great tool in preventing these coordinated landings,” said Weigand. “A coordinated operation that monitors the comings and goings of our harbor would be beneficial to everyone.”
The Saturday interception followed two similar incidents in September. On Sept. 19, a boat carrying suspected migrants landed at a private dock on the 400 block of Edgewater Place, where a dozen men disembarked before the 20-foot vessel struck and damaged a nearby yacht and was abandoned. Residents reported the men got into waiting vehicles. Authorities continue to investigate that landing.
Two weeks before that, on Sept. 5, a Coast Guard cutter intercepted a 28-foot cabin boat carrying two dozen suspected migrants in waters due west of Newport. Those aboard were taken to Newport Harbor and transferred to Border Patrol agents.
The rapid succession of interceptions has left local officials and residents grappling with how to secure a harbor accustomed to recreational sailing and luxury yacht traffic rather than clandestine human smuggling operations.
