The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) has ramped up its enforcement efforts with a series of “alien expulsion flight operations,” intercepting illegal migrant vessels and expediting deportations in coordination with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Department of Defense. Among the operations was a dramatic rescue on Saturday, when the crew of the cutter Active intercepted a vessel carrying nine illegal migrants near San Diego. The boat began to sink shortly after being stopped, but the crew safely transferred all aboard to CBP custody.
The operation, led by the Eleventh Coast Guard District in California, highlights the USCG’s enhanced role in securing U.S. borders under President Donald Trump’s new directives. The Coast Guard has surged personnel and assets from across the country to assist in the Department of Homeland Security-led mission. In addition to intercepting vessels, the USCG is now conducting flights to transport illegal migrants to designated locations in Texas and California, where they are subsequently removed from the United States.
“In accordance with the President’s Executive Orders, the Coast Guard continues to surge assets and leverage its unique capabilities to protect America’s borders, territorial integrity, and sovereignty,” said Adm. Kevin Lunday, the acting commandant of the Coast Guard.
Lunday emphasized the importance of interagency coordination, describing Saturday’s rescue as a testament to the Coast Guard’s commitment to border security. “[The] operation exemplifies our coordination with our Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense teammates, through which we are detecting, deterring, and interdicting aliens, drug smuggling, and other terrorist or hostile activity before it reaches our border,” he said.
The USCG’s renewed focus on border security comes on the heels of President Trump’s decision to terminate Adm. Linda Lee Fagan as commandant of the Coast Guard. Fagan’s dismissal followed allegations of leadership failures, including insufficient attention to border security threats, recruitment challenges, and an overemphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. She was also criticized for mishandling “Operation Fouled Anchor,” the Coast Guard’s internal investigation into sexual assault cases at the Coast Guard Academy.
With Adm. Lunday at the helm, the Coast Guard appears to be aligning its priorities with Trump’s administration, taking swift and decisive action to secure the nation’s borders and bolster public trust. These enhanced operations underscore the administration’s broader commitment to combating illegal immigration and safeguarding American sovereignty.