22 migrants arrested in Florida boat smuggling attempt near Key Largo

US authorities arrested 22 illegal immigrants, including 13 Chinese nationals, after intercepting a small boat near Key Largo, Florida, in a rare maritime smuggling attempt deemed "extremely dangerous" by officials. The 27-foot vessel was detected by a CBP Air and Marine Operations aircraft and stopped Tuesday near Angelfish Creek. One suspected smuggler, a Cuban national, was apprehended alongside migrants from China, Ecuador, and the Dominican Republic. All were transferred to a Coast Guard cutter for processing. Officials noted Chinese nationals rarely use Caribbean maritime routes, typically favored by Haitian, Dominican, and Cuban migrants, as they previously entered via land routes now under tighter enforcement. The incident coincides with renewed debate over immigration enforcement tactics following an ICE officer shooting a Venezuelan migrant in Austin.