![Cuban migrants are seen on a raft before being rescued by members of Mexico's Navy (SEMAR) in Progreso, in the state of Yucatan Cuban Migrants](https://api.time.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/cuban-migrants.jpg?quality=85&w=2400)
More than 4,000 Cuban migrants have tried to enter the U.S. by sea since last October, even as tensions eased between the two countries. The figure, announced by the U.S. Coast Guard this week, marks nearly a 300-person increase over the same period the previous year.
The release of figures followed an announcement that Coast Guard officials had returned 52 migrants to Cuba after intercepting vessels in the south Florida Straits. Cubans considering the trip reportedly fear that the U.S. may become more hostile to allowing Cuban migrants who reach land to stay in the country as a result of last year’s landmark deal improving relations between the U.S. and Cuba, according to the Associated Press.
“Coast Guard missions and operations in the Southeast remain unchanged. The Coast Guard strongly discourages attempts to illegally enter the country by taking to the sea,” said Capt. Mark Gordon, Coast Guard 7th District chief of response enforcement, in a press release. “These trips are incredibly dangerous.”
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Biden Dropped Out
- Ukraine’s Plan to Survive Trump
- The Rise of a New Kind of Parenting Guru
- The Chaos and Commotion of the RNC in Photos
- Why We All Have a Stake in Twisters’ Success
- 8 Eating Habits That Actually Improve Your Sleep
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Get Our Paris Olympics Newsletter in Your Inbox
Write to Justin Worland at justin.worland@time.com