Coast Guard data shows dramatic drop in Cuban interdictions

MIAMI – New U.S. Coast Guard statistics illustrate the dramatic drop in the number of Cuban migrants trying to reach U.S. shores by sea since President Barack Obama ended “wet foot, dry foot” in January.

Coast Guard data released Monday says U.S. authorities caught more than 1,000 Cuban migrants at sea in April and May 2016.

This year, the number has held at zero since April 1.

The Coast Guard reported only 49 interdictions involving Cubans in February and March, compared with 260 in January. That’s down from 759 such interdictions in the first three months of 2016.

The policy fast-tracking residency for Cubans stepping on American soil ended Jan. 12. Since then, the Coast Guard has returned 113 migrants to Cuba, compared with 939 over the same period last year.