A citizen of the Dominican Republic has pleaded guilty to an illegal smuggling operation which resulted in 11 migrant deaths.
45-year-old Fermin Montilla owned up to his mistakes on Friday September 13, per a press release from the Department of Justice (DOJ). The plea came after he was charged with illegally smuggling non-citizens into the United States—meaning, crossing the border at places beyond “designated point[s] of entry.” The charges against him include illegal border crossings which ended in death.
Montilla was reportedly a part of a “maritime human smuggling” scheme, according to the DOJ, which took place in 2022. His efforts sought to bring 48 illegal migrants into America two years ago. However, the ship he took to do so capsized near Puerto Rico. While Montilla survived and was rescued along with 37 others, 11 people died in the disaster.
The case is one of many involving fatal efforts to migrate into the United States. Over the past few years, the number of individuals who have died trying to enter the country illegally has increased, coinciding with the Biden administration’s notorious “open border” policies. Border security and immigration are a top priority issue among voters this election cycle.
According to information gathered by the United Nations-connected International Organization for Migration, 686 immigrants died traveling by land to the country’s southern border in 2022. There has also been a rise in migrants trying to arrive by sea, leading to even greater risks.
Notably, a group of at least two dozen illegal migrants landed on Malibu beaches in California at the end of last year. Overall, more than 10 million people have entered the country since President Joe Biden took office. 1.7 million so-called “gotaway” migrants have been recorded since his 2021 inauguration. This number is up from 415,000 between 2018 and 2020, during former president Donald Trump’s term in the White House.
Montilla’s guilty plea coincides with news of another deadly immigration effort that highlights the high-risk trend throughout the world. Migrant smugglers taking a group from Turkey to an island in the Aegean Sea made headlines this week for forcing their passengers overboard in an effort to avoid being caught by authorities.
One immigrant in the speedboat died as a result. The other 30 were unharmed, according to a statement from the coast guard. Eight kids were on board the smuggling ship, which was found after the migrants were forced into the water. The coast guard stopped the scheme by chasing the vessel and firing warning shots.
Two men from Turkey were arrested and charged, like Montilla, for illegal immigrant smuggling which resulted in death. This incident took place in Greece, where people looking to escape unrest in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East frequently go to try and enter Europe. Smuggling rings coming from Turkey are well-established and charge thousands of dollars to bring migrants in from the sea.
Speedboats are also commonly used by these gangs, as Greece increases security to try and stop the practice and the smugglers try to evade water patrols.
