MISSION, Texas – U.S. Border Patrol brokers encountered almost 220 folks on Monday, a pointy decline from greater than 1,800 on the identical day final yr.
As a part of President Donald Trump’s sweeping immigration crackdown, the Coast Guard has ramped up its operations alongside the Rio Grande.
The U.S. Coast Guard is growing its presence alongside Border Patrol, bolstering operations with extra boats and personnel.
TRUMP RAMPS UP CARTEL SURVEILLANCE EFFORTS TO STRENGTHEN BORDER SECURITY
United States and U.S. Coast Guard flags are displayed on a Coast Guard vessel. (Sarah Alegre )
“We’re augmenting our Border Patrol companions in key areas alongside the Rio Grande,” stated Capt. Torrey Bertheau, sector commander for Corpus Christi. “Our mission is to detect, deter, and interdict unlawful migration, drug smuggling—actually any sort of illicit exercise.”
We embedded alongside the Coast Guard for a have a look at operations and exercise alongside the Rio Grande, when the crew encountered a suspected cartel spotter alongside the riverbank, a typical tactic utilized by smugglers to observe regulation enforcement actions.
BORDER STATE OFFICIALS PUT CARTELS ON NOTICE
U.S. Coast Guard Captain Torrey Burtheau factors to clutter belonging to suspected smugglers alongside the Rio Grande. (Sarah Alegre)
Since Trump took workplace final month, border crossings have dropped considerably. In keeping with new information from Customs and Border Safety, 61,465 folks have been apprehended on the southern border in the course of the month of January for unlawful crossings. That’s a 36% decline from the earlier month and unlawful crossings alongside the southwest border have fallen to their lowest ranges in many years.
Regardless of the decline, Bertheau emphasised that smuggling operations proceed.
“That is nonetheless a high-threat space,” he stated. “The augmentation mission right here is de facto to help the Border Patrol within the areas that they want it.”
ACTIVISTS IN MEXICO REPORT FLOW OF MIGRANTS HAS ‘ENORMOUSLY DECREASED’
A ship is stuffed with U.S. Coast Guard crew members helping Border Patrol brokers alongside the Rio Grande. (Sarah Alegre)
Past the river, the Coast Guard can be stepping up patrols alongside all Texas maritime boundaries. Final week in Port Isabel, guardsmen detained two people aboard a fishing boat—one was within the nation illegally, and the opposite was wished on felony weapons costs.
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“Whether or not the surge is going on or not, our purpose is to make sure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of america is protected,” Bertheau stated.
