The Trump administration on Monday announced the launch of Operation River Wall, a surge of Coast Guard personnel to the Rio Grande River to curb drugs trafficking and illegal immigration. File Photo by Adam Davis/EPA-EFE
Oct. 21 (UPI) — The Trump administration is surging U.S. Coast Guard resources to the Rio Grande River to prevent migrants and drugs from making their way from Mexico across the body of water into Texas.
Since his inauguration in January, President Donald Trump has been seeking to seal off the U.S.-Mexico border as part of his immigration crackdown.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced Operation River Wall in a statement Monday, calling it an “unprecedented mobilization” of Coast Guard boats, shallow watercraft, tactical teams and command and control assets to the Rio Grande in eastern Texas.
The exact number of resources deployed was not made public, though DHS said the operation is “beginning” with more than 100 boats and hundreds of personnel.
According to a statement from the Coast Guard, it has been deploying resources to the Rio Grande since Oct. 9 with the mission to “ensure operational control of the border” where Trump declared a national emergency on his first day in office.
That declaration, stating that the United States is “under attack” and experiencing an “invasion” via its southern border, has faced and continues to face legal challenges, particularly over its scope and the powers it affords the president.
“President Trump delivered the most secure southern border in U.S. history in record time, and now, our goal is to make sure it stays that way for the long run,” Noem said.
“Now, Coast Guard Forces Rio Grande and Operation River Wall will be a force multiplier in defending against illegal immigration.”