Thirteen Cuban migrants were apprehended by the U.S. Coast Guard in waters off the Anguilla Cays near Cay Sal Bank on Sunday, Director of Immigration William Pratt confirmed yesterday.

Pratt said 10 men and three women were found.

The group was transported to Freeport around 3:30 p.m. yesterday and was expected to be flown into New Providence where they will be sent to the Carmichael Road Detention Centre, Pratt said.

This latest apprehension comes days after five Cubans were repatriated. Pratt said the turnaround involved in repatriating Cubans and apprehending more is frustrating.

Earlier this month, 14 Cubans were found in waters off Bimini. Defence force officers found 13 men and one woman on a 20-foot makeshift vessel 30 nautical miles off Bimini.

Last month, six Cuban men were found in waters off Cay Sal Bank. The men were briefly detained by the U.S. Coast Guard and were later turned over to Bahamian authorities.

This comes as the government is investigating the alleged abuse of Cuban detainees at the Carmichael Road Detention Centre earlier this year.

The claims have sparked a firestorm, fueling protests in Miami and creating bitter divisions between the government and the opposition on the issue. Miami-based protest group Democracy Movement has staged multiple protests over the alleged abuse.

Ramon Sanchez, a spokesman for the group, said Democracy Movement will not rest until the government completes and makes public the investigation into the allegations. He said the group has called off its protests against The Bahamas for now, but will not hesitate if the government continues to "drag its feet".

A source close to the investigation told The Nassau Guardian yesterday that the government has yet to appoint the former Court of Appeal justice charged with heading that investigation.

The source said Cabinet is expected to discuss the issue today. Haitians On Saturday, immigration officers caught 35 Haitian migrants in Bannerman Town, Eleuthera after the sloop they were on ran aground, Pratt said.

He said the sloop landed sometime between Friday night and early Saturday morning.

Pratt said immigration officers suspect that at least 50 Haitians were on that sloop.

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