Since September 2, 2025, the Trump administration has conducted dozens of military strikes against unidentified vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific, resulting in over 220 deaths. Officials have labeled those killed as “narcoterrorists” engaged in drug trafficking, but the operations have proceeded without court filings, trials, or public identification of victims.
Families of missing fishermen have been unable to obtain information about their relatives’ disappearances through local authorities or the US government. In one case documented by the Al Jazeera program Fault Lines, fisherman Joseph William and Ricky Joseph disappeared in February. The US military released drone footage the same day showing a strike on a vessel in the Caribbean, which families believe may have been their fishing boat. The vessel’s remains were later recovered and identified through its distinctive coloring—green exterior, black bottom, and red interior—but authorities have provided no official confirmation about those aboard.
Legal experts and human rights advocates have questioned the justification for the strikes. International law experts argue the operations constitute extrajudicial killings, which are prohibited. Former US Army lawyer Margaret Donovan noted that lethal force requires either congressional authorization or imminent self-defense, neither of which applies to drug trafficking cases. Amnesty International’s Amanda Klasing stated there is no evidence those killed posed a threat to Americans or intended to invade the United States. Drug trafficking has traditionally been addressed through boat interdiction and arrest of suspects.
Trump has defended the campaign by claiming each strike prevents significant loss of American life, stating last October that every vessel destroyed saves “25,000 American lives,” without providing supporting evidence. The administration has characterized its actions as part of a “non-international armed conflict” with drug-trafficking organizations, according to an unreleased memo obtained by US media. However, Congress has not authorized such military operations. To date, the US government has not released names of those killed or published public evidence justifying the attacks.
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