Coast Guard Intercepts 20 Migrants Off San Diego Coast

The U.S. Coast Guard intercepted a 30-foot panga-style vessel carrying 20 migrants off the coast of Point Loma, California, on February 18. Detected by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection aircraft, the vessel was found approximately 21 miles offshore. The migrants, who identified themselves as having both Mexican and Chinese nationalities, were transferred to the U.S. Border Patrol after the Coast Guard's Cutter Haddock responded to the alert. Local officials, including San Clemente Mayor Steve Knoblock, have noted a rising trend in panga boats arriving along the California coast, suggesting that while land border security has tightened, maritime entries are increasing. The city is considering installing surveillance cameras to better monitor such activities. This incident underscores ongoing concerns about unauthorized migration via sea routes as authorities grapple with changing patterns of immigration.