This intercepted vessel was transporting 234 males and 43 females, including a minor. ROYAL TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS POLICE FORCE
THE WATCH STAFF
In an operation supported by forces from three nations, hundreds of Haitian migrants on a boat that was overloaded and unfit for travel were intercepted about 15 miles south of Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI), on the night of March 14, 2025. A United States Air Support (USAS) Unit conducting routine aerial surveillance detected the vessel and notified the Royal Turks and Caicos Islands Police Force (RTCIPF).
The RTCIPF Marine Branch dispatched two response vessels: the Sea Guardian and Sea Pursuit. In a coordinated effort, the USAS and the Marine Branch intercepted the boat, and a Royal Bahamas Defence Force (RBDF) vessel, the HMBS Nassau, which was conducting patrols under a shiprider agreement, was diverted to transport the migrants to Providenciales.
The migrants were processed later by the TCI Border Force, with help from the TCI Regiment. Among the 277 migrants were 234 males and 43 females, including a minor, an RTCIPF news release said. Three of the women were pregnant. All of the migrants appeared to be in good health, the RBDF said in a news release.
The RTCIPF emphasized the risks associated with such journeys, particularly for vulnerable people, such as pregnant women and minors. “We are warning individuals facilitating these unlawful activities to desist and strongly advise against persons attempting to enter the TCI illegally,” the RTCIPF news release said. The RTCIPF “remains resolute in deterring and disrupting human smuggling operations while safeguarding our national security.”
The RBDF news release said: “This most recent interdiction demonstrates the ongoing commitment of all participating agencies — the Royal Bahamas Defence Force, the United States Coast Guard, Operations Bahamas Turks and Caicos (OPBAT), and the Turks and Caicos Police Marine Unit — to uphold maritime security protocols and humanitarian principles in addressing irregular migration challenges in the region.”
The March 14 interdiction follows similar operations on February 17, when law enforcement apprehended 148 migrants off the TCI after their vessel was intercepted, and on March 11, when 140 Haitian migrants were intercepted by the RBDF. The February 17 operation involved a coordinated effort by multiple agencies, including the Marine Branch, Fisheries and Marine Resources Management, the United States Coast Guard, the TCI Regiment, TCI Border Force, the Department of Disaster Management and Emergencies, and the Maritime Operations Centre.
In testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on February 13, Gen. Gregory M. Guillot, commander of United States Northern Command (USNORTHCOM) and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, said: “USNORTHCOM’s current mission is to seal the borders and repel all forms of invasion including illegal migration, narcotics trafficking, migrant smuggling and human trafficking, and other criminal activities. … USNORTHCOM’s military partnerships with Canada, Mexico, and The Bahamas enhance our own homeland defense while building the capacity of those partners to operate and communicate with U.S. forces. Those relationships are vital to countering competitor influence and presence in the Western Hemisphere while improving intelligence sharing, border security, and domain awareness.”