US Military Deploys Guided-Missile Destroyer USS Gravely to Southern Border

Expanded Military Role in Border Security

• 🚢 The US military is expanding its role in border security, with the Navy now being deployed to assist.
• ⚓ The warship USS Gravely, a guided-missile destroyer, will focus on maritime border security, countering illegal immigration, weapons trafficking, and transnational crime in US waters.
• 🇺🇸 This deployment supports President Trump's executive order to strengthen border enforcement at sea, giving the Navy a direct role in stopping threats before they reach American shores.

Trump Administration's Border Strategy

• 📈 President Trump has launched a full-scale operation targeting illegal immigration and Mexican cartels, designating them as terrorist groups.
• ⚖️ The Department of Justice has streamlined terrorism charges, increased penalties, and fast-tracked warrants for Mexican cartel members.
• ✈️ The administration has deployed over 9,000 active-duty troops, striker combat teams, and aerial support to assist border patrol agents.
• 🤝 Mexico has been pressured to deploy 10,000 troops to its border.

Impact on Illegal Crossings and Interior Enforcement

• 📉 These measures have led to a significant plummet in illegal crossings, with DHS sources reporting around 244 crossings per day in March.
• 🚔 ICE has ramped up interior enforcement, arresting over 32,000 people in 50 days, with a high percentage having criminal records or pending charges.
• 🌍 Immigration attorneys note a higher-than-expected level of self-deportations, with many immigrants seeking new beginnings in countries with less aggressive immigration laws.

Detention and Overall Reduction in Crossings

• 🏝️ The Trump administration has sent individuals detained at Guantanamo Bay back to the US, with zero migrants currently held there.
• 📉 Secretary Mayorkas confirmed to NewsNation that since the Trump administration took office, illegal crossings are down 95%, with less than 100 people crossing per day in the Rio Grande sector.