Coast Guard surges to Rio Grande in new border security mission, Operation River Wall
The Coast Guard is bolstering its forces along western Texas’ Rio Grande to support President Donald Trump’s border security mission as part of a “surge operation,” according to the service.
Trump declared a national emergency at the border in January, and his administration stood up Joint Task Force Southern Border in March to allow troops under the Department of War to assist with the Department of Homeland Security’s border mission.
Dubbed Operation River Wall, the Coast Guard deployment aims to counter the influx of drugs into the U.S., and to deter and interdict illegal immigrants along the 260-mile stretch of the river that is part of the U.S. border, the service announced Monday.
The Coast Guard said it is dispatching additional response boats, shallow watercraft, command and control assets, and tactical teams to the area to support the operation.
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The service said that it is leading operations it is conducting alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Department of War under U.S. Northern Command to advance Trump’s border priorities.
“U.S. Coast Guard is the best in the world at tactical boat operations and maritime interdiction at sea, along our coasts, and in riverine environments,” Adm. Kevin Lunday, acting commandant of the Coast Guard, said in a Monday statement. “Through Operation River Wall, the Coast Guard is controlling the U.S. southern border along the Rio Grande River in eastern Texas.”
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It’s unclear exactly how many Coast Guard personnel and assets are involved in Operation River Wall, and the Coast Guard did not provide specifics, citing operational security concerns.
“We are deploying a range of assets, personnel, and equipment appropriate to maximize coverage of the Rio Grande River,” Coast Guard spokesperson Lt. Cmdr. Steve Roth said in a Tuesday statement to Fox News Digital. “Due to operational security concerns, we cannot provide specific details about deployment numbers or specific locations.”
However, the Coast Guard announced in March it was beefing up its operational presence along the southwest border for border security operations. Between January and March, the Coast Guard Southwest District announced it tripled its forces there.
The Pentagon said in July that roughly 8,500 troops are assigned to Joint Task Force Southern Border to provide backup to the Coast Guard and Border Patrol, and have been tasked with responding to security threats along the border.
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The Coast Guard has launched several high-profile operations in recent months. For example, the service kicked off Operation Pacific Viper in August — a joint effort between the Coast Guard and Navy aimed at countering the influx of illegal drugs to the U.S. as part of Trump’s larger effort to crack down on drug cartels.
So far, the Coast Guard has confiscated 100,000 pounds of cocaine in the Eastern Pacific Ocean since August, averaging 1,600 pounds of cocaine daily, according to the service.
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