United States and U.S. Coast Guard flags are displayed on a Coast Guard vessel. (Sarah Alegre )
"We are augmenting our Border Patrol partners in key areas along the Rio Grande," said Capt. Torrey Bertheau, sector commander for Corpus Christi. "Our mission is to detect, deter, and interdict illegal migration, drug smuggling—really any kind of illicit activity."
We embedded alongside the Coast Guard for a look at operations and activity along the Rio Grande, when the crew encountered a suspected cartel spotter along the riverbank, a common tactic used by smugglers to monitor law enforcement movements.
BORDER STATE OFFICIALS PUT CARTELS ON NOTICE
A boat is filled with U.S. Coast Guard crew members assisting Border Patrol agents along the Rio Grande. (Sarah Alegre)
Beyond the river, the Coast Guard is also stepping up patrols along all Texas maritime boundaries. Last week in Port Isabel, guardsmen detained two individuals aboard a fishing boat—one was in the country illegally, and the other was wanted on felony weapons charges.
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"Whether the surge is happening or not, our goal is to ensure the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the United States is protected," Bertheau said.
Sarah Alegre joined Fox News in 2024 as a Multimedia Reporter based in Houston.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/us-coast-guard-expands-border-patrol-efforts-combat-illegal-immigration