Coast Guard and border agents intercept 'extremely dangerous' smuggling boat carrying 13 Chinese nationals off Florida coast

From the Newshound archive · first published 22 September 2026.

A 27-foot vessel was intercepted near Key Largo, Florida, on Tuesday carrying 22 illegal immigrants, including 13 Chinese nationals. One Cuban national was arrested on suspicion of smuggling; the stop was made without incident. Maritime Caribbean routes are reportedly an extremely rare choice for Chinese nationals — during the Biden era they typically crossed by land, routes that now face stricter enforcement under Trump. The boat also carried eight Ecuadorian nationals and one Dominican national.