The U.S. Coast Guard's War on Human Smuggling

by Noble, Dennis L.; Smith, Gene Allen

• ISBN13: 9780813036069
• ISBN10: 0813036062
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2011-05-01
• Publisher: Univ Pr of Florida

Summary

Puts a human face on both undocumented migrants and those who enforce policy "Illustrates the complexities and heartbreak of attempting to enforce U.S. immigration laws." --David Kyle, University of California, Davis "Noble skillfully interweaves tales of bravery, compassion and skill on the part of U.S. Coast Guard servicemen with moving portraits of those willing to risk their lives in dank, overcrowded holds and on rickety rafts for a chance at a new life in the U.S." --Kelly M. Greenhill, author of Weapons of Mass Migration: Forced Displacement, Coercion and Foreign Policy Of all the hot-button issues facing the United States in the early twenty-first century, perhaps none is presently generating more passion than illegal immigration. But what the vociferous public debates and sound bites often miss is that the story is far larger than the land border with Mexico. The U.S. Coast Guard has been charged with preventing undocumented migrants from entering the country for its entire existence. Best known, perhaps, for rescuing lives and preventing the smuggling of goods, the USCG is the only branch of the armed forces actually charged with law enforcement. Dennis Noble highlights the policies, strategy, and tactics used by the U.S. Coast Guard in enforcing immigration laws. But throughout, the focus remains on the human stories--both those of the small group of men and women charged with carrying out a difficult mission as well as those of the desperate men and women willing to risk their lives for a chance to escape crushing poverty or persecution. In many cases, the service#x19;s interdiction responsibilities go hand in glove with rescue operations. As Rear Admiral Arthur E. Brooks puts it, "You can#x19;t do migrant operations without having your heart broken." Dennis L. Nobleretired from the U.S. Coast Guard as a Senior Chief Marine Science Technician. He is the author of numerous articles and a dozen books, including The Rescue of theGale Runner and Captain "Hell Roaring" Mike Healy.A past recipient of the U.S. Coast Guard Distinguished Public Service Award, he lives in Sequim, Washington.

Table of Contents

Preface	p. xi
Introduction	p. 1
1959-1992
From Operación Pedro Pan to ôMachine Gun Alleyö	p. 11
Opening the Floodgates	p. 30
It's a Zoo Out There: Mariel, April 1980	p. 41
A Liking for These People	p. 53
Dying to Get Here: Haiti	p. 75
To the Golden Mountain	p. 95
1993-2008
The Golden-Venture	p. 119
Escaping the Dragon	p. 143
A War without Bullets: Operation Able Manner	p. 154
The Human Factor	p. 162
Balseros: Operation Able Vigil, Part 1	p. 173
ôThe Toughest Thing Is to Not Have Your Heart Brokenö: Operation Able Vigil. Part 2	p. 189
The Dance	p. 201
Something Different Happening Every Day	p. 224
Summing Up	p. 235
Acknowledgments	p. 245
Appendix: Numbers of Undocumented Migrants Intercepted by the U.S. Coast Guard from 1982 to 2009	p. 249
Notes	p. 251
Selected Bibliography	p. 271
Index	p. 285
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