Coast Guard Surges Forces Off Florida Under Trump's Orders

Coast Guard Surges Forces Under Trump's Orders. Credit: USCG

MIAMI, Florida – The U.S. Coast Guard has announced immediate action in response to executive orders by President Trump, deploying boats, aircraft, and specialized forces to deter illegal immigration. The focus of this operation spans the southeastern U.S. border around Florida, extending to maritime borders in the Gulf of Mexico, Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories. This move aims to address mass migration from Haiti and Cuba as well as prevent drug smuggling across U.S. maritime borders.

“The U.S. Coast Guard is the world’s premiere maritime law enforcement agency, vital to protecting America’s maritime borders, territorial integrity and sovereignty,” said Adm. Kevin Lunday, the Coast Guard’s acting commandant. 

“Per the President’s Executive Orders, I have directed my operational commanders to immediately surge assets—cutters, aircraft, boats and deployable specialized forces—to increase Coast Guard presence and focus starting with the following key areas:

The southeast U.S. border approaching Florida to deter and prevent a maritime mass migration from Haiti and/or Cuba;

The maritime border around Alaska, Hawai’i, the U.S. territories of Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands;

The maritime border between the Bahamas and south Florida;

The southwest maritime border between the U.S. and Mexico in the Pacific;

The maritime border between Texas and Mexico in the Gulf of America; and

Support to Customs and Border Protection on maritime portions of the southwest U.S. border.