Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
The US Coast Guard on Tuesday announced the deployment of personnel and equipment to several US maritime borders, a day after President Donald Trump fired the head of the military branch.
In a statement, the acting commander of the Coast Guard, adm. Kevin Lunday, said the Coast Guard would work to detect and deter illegal immigration in support of Trump’s executive orders issued this week.
“The United States Coast Guard is the world’s premier 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 increase assets (cutters, aircraft, ships, and deployable special forces) to increase the presence and focus of the Coast Guard. . . .”
RETIRED COAST GUARD HELICOPTER COMMANDER DETAILS RISKS TO AIRCREWS FIGHTING FIRE
The Coast Guard said it was taking immediate steps to back up the executive orders signed by President Donald Trump the day after he was sworn into office. (US Coast Guard)
Key areas where the authorities will focus their efforts include the waters outside Florida to deter and prevent migrants from Haiti and Cuba from entering the US, and the maritime borders around Alaska, Hawaii, as well as the US territories of Guam, Puerto Rico, American Samoa and the US Virgin Islands.
Lunday also wrote in the statement that the agency would target the “Texas-Mexico maritime border in the Gulf of America.”
On Monday, Trump signed an executive order to rename the Gulf of Mexico. In the federal executive order: “Restoring the names that honor American greatness,” Section 4 renames the “area formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico . . . an integral asset to our growing nation . . . and a indelible part of America” - like the “Gulf of America”.
The reference appears to be the first time a federal agency has recognized the name change.
The Coast Guard said it would also target the Bahamas and South Florida, and between the US and Mexico in the Pacific Ocean.
In addition, the Coast Guard will support US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) authorities on the maritime portions of the US southwest border.
“Together, in coordination with ours Department of National Security and teammates in the Department of Defense, we will detect, deter, and interdict illegal migration, drug trafficking, and other terrorist or hostile activities before they reach our border,” a press release states.
A US Coast Guard vessel sails off the coast of Key West, Florida. The Coast Guard said Tuesday it would deploy additional resources to certain areas in support of President Trump’s executive orders to combat illegal immigration. (iStock)
On Monday, Trump also issued a series of executive orders to crack down on illegal immigration.
Among the many charges was the dismissal of adm. Linda Lee Fagan, 61, who was fired by acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman.
The commander of the Coast Guard of the United States, adm. Linda Fagan, was fired by acting Homeland Security Secretary Benjamine Huffman. (Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Huffman did not cite a reason for the firing, but a senior DHS official told Fox News that Fagan was fired for failing to address threats to border security, insufficient leadership in recruitment and retention, mismanagement in the acquisition of key acquisitions such as icebreakers and helicopters, excessive. focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives and an “erosion of trust” over the mishandling and cover-up of Operation Fouled Anchor, which was the Coast Guard’s internal investigation into assault cases sexual to the Coast Guard Academy.
Fox News Digital’s Charles Creitz contributed to this report.
