The U.S. Coast Guard has announced the immediate deployment of assets in response to executive orders issued by President Donald Trump to strengthen maritime border security and prevent illegal immigration and illicit activities at sea.
Acting Coast Guard Commandant Admiral Kevin Lunday confirmed the operational surge, emphasizing the agency’s critical role in safeguarding America’s maritime borders, territorial integrity, and sovereignty.
“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.”
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Expanded Coast Guard Operations
Under the President’s executive orders, the Coast Guard will increase its presence in several key areas, including:
- The southeastern U.S. border approaching Florida to deter mass migration from Haiti and Cuba.
- The maritime borders around Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. territories in the Pacific, and the Caribbean.
- The Gulf of Mexico and Pacific coastline to counter illegal crossings from Mexico.
- Support operations alongside U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at maritime sections of the southwest border.
Simultaneously, a coalition of Republican lawmakers, led by Representatives Mark E. Green and John Moolenaar, issued a letter to Adm. Lunday, expressing grave concerns over the national security threats posed by Chinese state-owned enterprises operating within the U.S. Marine Transportation System (MTS).
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The lawmakers highlighted COSCO SHIPPING, a Chinese state-owned company recently designated as a Chinese Military Company by the Department of Defense, as a significant risk to U.S. national security. The letter raised concerns that COSCO vessels could be exploited for espionage, cyber intrusions, and sabotage, posing serious threats to critical infrastructure.
The lawmakers are demanding the Coast Guard enhance its security protocols, with a focus on:
- Strengthening vetting processes for foreign mariners from high-risk countries.
- Ensuring consistent security measures across all U.S. ports.
- Increasing interagency coordination with the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of Defense, and intelligence agencies.
- Improving monitoring of vessels linked to adversarial state-owned enterprises like COSCO SHIPPING.
The letter calls for written responses by February 5, 2025, and requests a classified briefing to congressional committees by February 12, 2025.
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The Coast Guard’s operational shift and congressional inquiry underscore growing concerns over border security and foreign influence in U.S. maritime operations. As the administration moves to fulfill campaign promises on immigration enforcement and national security, further regulatory measures and enforcement actions are expected in the coming months.
The U.S. Coast Guard has yet to respond publicly to the lawmakers’ concerns but emphasized its commitment to protecting the nation’s maritime interests in alignment with the administration’s directives.
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