Border Patrol Chief on Operational Control & Coast Guard's $500M Drug Seizure

Border Patrol Chief's Vision for Control

• 🎯 The acting Del Rio sector chief, Milton Moreno, aims for full operational control of the border, defined as zero crossings.
• 💡 He attributes the current low average of 25 daily crossings to effective detection, apprehension, processing, and repatriation, alongside coordination with the Mexican government and local law enforcement.
• 🤝 Cooperation with Mexico, including their deployment of 10,000 soldiers along the border, is highlighted as a significant factor in deterring and preventing crossings.
• ⚠️ Moreno acknowledges an increase in agent assaults due to the desperation of individuals attempting to cross, emphasizing ongoing training in use of force and maintaining a vigilant posture.
• 📈 While acknowledging a decrease in overall traffic, he notes that the remaining crossings are all active traffic, requiring agents to focus more on enforcement.

Infrastructure and Resources

• 🚧 The chief confirms ongoing discussions about expanding and fixing border wall infrastructure, though current priorities are high-traffic areas, not the Del Rio sector.
• 🛠️ He stresses the continued need for a combination of manpower, technology, and infrastructure to achieve border security goals.
• 🚀 The administration's focus on allowing Border Patrol agents to enforce laws is seen as a key difference, enabling them to do their jobs effectively.
• 📱 The CBP Home app is being utilized to encourage self-deportation, offering a pathway for individuals to return to their countries and reapply legally later.

Coast Guard's Major Narcotics Interdiction

• ⚓ The US Coast Guard cutter James seized over $500 million worth of narcotics, including nearly 45,000 pounds of cocaine and 3,800 pounds of marijuana.
• 💥 This operation, involving interdictions off the coast of Peru, Ecuador, and the Galapagos Islands, is considered a major blow to cartels like CJNG and Sinaloa.
• ⚖️ Eleven separate prosecutions will occur in the Middle District of Florida as a result of this seizure, with defendants facing accountability for trafficking these drugs.
• 🇺🇸 Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Cash Patel emphasized a whole-of-government approach, labeling drug traffickers as foreign terrorist organizations and vowing to dismantle their operations.
• 🌊 The Coast Guard's message to cartels is clear: "We own the sea. You do not." They are committed to stopping drugs before they reach US communities, saving thousands of lives from overdose deaths and related costs.
• 🎯 The interdiction is seen as a successful example of intelligence-driven operations and inter-agency collaboration, involving DoD, DHS, HSI, DEA, and international partners.