Coast Guard ‘Immediately’ Ramps Up Illegal Immigration Deterrence Following Trump’s Orders

The U.S. Coast Guard is “immediately” deploying more assets to the nation’s maritime borders to prevent migrants from illegally entering the U.S.

The move comes after President Donald Trump signed multiple executive orders to clamp down on illegal immigration. Within hours of taking office, Trump also fired Coast Guard Adm. Linda L. Fagan, partly for her “failure to address border security threats.”

In a statement on Tuesday, Coast Guard Acting Commandant Adm. Kevin Lunday said the military branch would swiftly act in support of Trump’s executive orders.

“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,” Lunday said. “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 …”

Lunday then listed six “key areas” where the Coast Guard will deploy more assets to carry out Trump’s plans. The statement also acknowledged Trump’s directive to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America on all federal maps and communications.

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According to the Coast Guard, the areas of focus include: “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.”

“Together, in coordination with our Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense teammates, we will detect, deter and interdict illegal migration, drug smuggling and other terrorist or hostile activity before it reaches our border,” the statement added.

The Coast Guard’s new emphasis on cracking down on illegal immigration comes as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have begun carrying out Trump’s deportation operation. Trump’s border czar, Tom Homan, told Fox News on Tuesday that ICE officers have been ordered to “go make arrests” of illegal immigrants with criminal records.

“[S]o they’re out there right now looking for the most serious public safety threats throughout the country,” Homan said.

Among the numerous executive orders signed by Trump on Monday night, the president declared a national emergency at the southern border, reinstated the “remain in Mexico” policy, and ended the CBP One app that allowed migrants to set up appointments in the U.S. to claim asylum. Trump also signed an order to end birthright citizenship, a move that has already received pushback from 22 states with Democrat attorneys general who argue that it violates the 14th Amendment.

Homan called the executive orders “game-changers,” adding that they would lead to the “most secure border in my lifetime.”