Navy deploys additional warship to curb illegal immigration, drug smuggling at the southern border

The U.S. Navy has deployed another destroyer to the southern border in efforts to combat illegal immigration and drug smuggling. The USS Spruance, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, set sail from Naval Base San Diego on Saturday to support operations at the southern border. The mission aims to restore territorial integrity, according to a statement from the Navy.

The deployment of the USS Spruance is part of a broader effort to enhance maritime capabilities, support interagency collaboration, and combat maritime-related terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crime, piracy, environmental destruction, and illegal seaborne immigration. General Gregory Guillot, USNORTHCOM commander, emphasized the importance of the Navy’s maritime presence in achieving operational control of the border.

This deployment comes in response to President Trump’s executive orders, a national emergency declaration, and a clarification of the military’s role in protecting U.S. territorial integrity. The USS Spruance will work in conjunction with the U.S. Coast Guard to fill critical capabilities gaps and support the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection.

The destroyer will be accompanied by a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) with expertise in maritime interdiction missions, including counter-piracy, combat operations, migration interdiction, force protection, counter-terrorism, homeland security, and humanitarian response.

The USS Spruance recently returned from a deployment to the U.S. 5th and 7th Fleet areas of operation as part of the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group. During this deployment, the destroyer played a crucial role in providing defense to U.S. forces and ensuring the safe passage of commercial vessels in international waters.

Overall, the deployment of the USS Spruance underscores the Navy’s commitment to supporting border security efforts and protecting U.S. interests. The collaboration between the Navy and Coast Guard highlights the importance of a coordinated and robust response to threats at the southern border.