The United States Coast Guard has significantly increased its presence at the southern border, tripling the number of personnel deployed to intercept maritime smuggling operations as the flow of illegal migration moves offshore, as reported by The New York Post.

Peter Nelson, Officer in Charge at Coast Guard Station San Diego, confirmed the surge in staffing. “We’ve essentially tripled the amount of Coast Guard assets on the southern border,” Nelson told Border Report. “This has happened in the last two months.”

Image Credit: © Chris Pietsch/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
A U.S. Coast Guard patrol boat leaves Depoe Bay Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025.

The deployment shift follows a drop in illegal crossings along the U.S.-Mexico land border, where enforcement under President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown has brought numbers to historic lows.

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Despite the success on land, smugglers have turned their attention to the high seas, continuing to transport illegal migrants by boat.

So far in the 2025 fiscal year, which began on October 1, the Coast Guard has intercepted 260 smuggling vessels. In the previous fiscal year, a total of 561 boats were stopped, indicating that maritime smuggling remains persistent despite increased enforcement.

According to Customs and Border Protection, the agency responded Sunday to a distress call from a 35-foot vessel found disabled and drifting roughly 50 miles southwest of San Diego.

Aboard were 17 Mexican nationals, including two unaccompanied minors and three women, all waving white flags to signal for help. The Coast Guard and Navy responded and brought the group to safety before turning them over to border agents for processing and deportation.

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A Border Patrol source told The New York Post that smugglers are “continuing to use the ocean to enter,” despite warnings issued by U.S. authorities.

“Do not take to the sea. You could lose your life. We remain steadfast in our commitment to saving lives and discouraging anyone from taking to the sea in ways that are unsafe and illegal,” the Coast Guard said in a public statement.

In contrast to California’s active coastline, where landings persist, the Florida coast has seen a steep decline in illegal maritime traffic.

One source within the Department of Homeland Security noted, “It’s just dead, like boring dead right now,” citing that migrant vessels are typically intercepted before nearing U.S. shores.

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“I don’t think we’ve had an event with humans for several months,” the source added.

A Border Patrol source attributed California’s continued appeal for smugglers to sanctuary state policies. “Thanks to Governor Newsom for non-enforcement of our immigration laws,” the source said.

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