A good Samaritan notified Sector Miami watchstanders of a migrant vessel about 10 miles east of Sunny Isles, Florida, Jan. 8, 2023. The people were repatriated to Cuba on Jan. 16, 2023. (U.S. Coast Guard photo)
The Coast Guard is a military organization. It does as it is told. That is the way it is supposed to be. But these are not new missions. Units are already positioned to carry out these missions. If we devote more assets to these missions, until, if or when, the Coast Guard gets more assets, they will have to come from other missions.
Frankly it seemed Immigration interdiction on the water routes was going well, doing much better than we are doing on the land borders. The New York Post, apparently reporting on this news release was headlined, “After Trump’s orders, US Coast Guard surges near Haiti, Cuba to block ‘mass migration’, but there have been no reports I’ve seen of a large increase in immigration attempts. The New York Post article also includes a video that indicates an avenue of legal immigration, that has been used as an incentive to not attempt illegal immigration, is being closed off.
So, what will be done differently?
NE fisheries might get less attention. Generally, the East coast has had a disproportionate percentage of the fleet, considering that something like 84% of the US EEZ is under PACAREA. It appeared new construction FRCs were already programmed to go to the Pacific and that there might be a new base in American Samoa.
It had appeared that another WMEC270 transfer to the Pacific was in the works, but they could probably use more than one more.
Will Coast Guard Aircraft be moved from the NE to the SE or the Pacific?
The President might choose to stop fisheries patrols with the Compact of Free Association States, but that would leave a vacuum the Chinese might exploit.
I would really love to see the Coast Guard start a program to provide a ship class around 2-3000 tons, with better potential as a warship, to build in greater numbers, in lieu of the as yet uncontracted last 10 OPCs. But that could provide no near-term help.
I would love to see cutters better prepared for a terrorist attack, which would also provide them better potential for use as a naval auxiliary. We could start doing that relatively quickly, but it would not have any effect on immigration.
There is no indication what the Coast Guard will do to interdict fentanyl which was one of the criticisms of Admiral Fagan’s term as Commandant. I don’t see what the Coast Guard could do since, I believe, it primarily comes across the land border or in containers.
If the President wants more assets to interdict drugs in the Eastern Pacific Drug Transit Zone, he could task the Navy to provide more ships to 4th Fleet. The Coast Guard could probably provide more law enforcement detachments relatively quickly if needed.
{I wonder if Customs and Border Protection are doing anything differently?)
Will the Coast Guard get additional billets it would need to operate now very old deactivated WMEC210s and WPB87s?
Or will the Coast Guard once again try to do more with less?
Jan. 22, 2025
Coast Guard announces immediate action in support of Presidential Executive Orders
By Press Release
The Coast Guard announced immediate action on executive orders issued by the White House Tuesday, Jan 21, 2025.
“The U.S. Coast Guard is the world’s premiere maritime law enforcement agency, vital to protecting America’s maritime borders, territorial integrity and sovereignty,” said Adm. Kevin Lunday, the Coast Guard’s acting commandant. “Per the President’s Executive Orders, I have directed my operational commanders to immediately surge assets — cutters, aircraft, boats and deployable specialized forces — to increase Coast Guard presence and focus starting with the following key areas:
- The southeast U.S. border approaching Florida to deter and prevent a maritime mass migration from Haiti and/or Cuba;
- The maritime border around Alaska, Hawai’i, the U.S. territories of Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands;
- The maritime border between the Bahamas and south Florida;
- The southwest maritime border between the U.S. and Mexico in the Pacific;
- The maritime border between Texas and Mexico in the Gulf of America; and
- Support to Customs and Border Protection on maritime portions of the southwest U.S. border.
Together, in coordination with our Department of Homeland Security and Department of Defense teammates, we will detect, deter and interdict illegal migration, drug smuggling and other terrorist or hostile activity before it reaches our border.”
Chuck Hill's CG Blog 
I’m sure you noticed that Lunday said the CG would increase its presence in the “Gulf of America.”
Really, Kevin?
Paging Chuck hill,
Your wanted in the CIC
Hellenic Navy Acquires Upgraded Island-class Patrol Vessels
https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2025/01/hellenic-navy-acquires-upgraded-island-class-patrol-vessels/
I’ll get it out there because its a free country. This action along with several others would appear to be making it easy for China to do whatever they want to do.
Honestly, this could be a perfect opportunity for the Coast Guard to propose a new class of cutters that fill the FRC/OPC gap. President Trump has clearly outlined a top priority in drug and migrant interdiction, which is already a significant part of the Coast Guard’s mission. If the administration wants to lock down the maritime border and our EEZ, then they’ll likely want to ensure CG has the assets to do so, especially as the OPC program drags on.
Even amid the cost-cutting and efficiency efforts from the administration that will almost certainly make its way to the CG (think Reagan’s efficiency mandates), leadership could “turn the tables” and make the case for more funding due to the natural alignment with the administration’s emphasis on border protection and territorial sovereignty.
Given the success of the FRC, I’m thinking of Damen’s already proven 6211 (being used to great effect along South Africa’s rough seas) or their lighter OPV designs? I feel like a proven design would help speed up the process. Just thinking out loud.
The new administration might be more amenable to more combat capable cutters since they may see a need for more homeland coastal defense since the Navy seems to have no surface vessels that do that type of work.
We might work the AUKUS cooperation deal and build versions of the Project Sea 3000 corvette/light frigate Australia is planning to build.
Cutter Size Combatants for Australia | Chuck Hill’s CG Blog
Germany And Japan Left Standing in Australian SEA 3000
It’d be nice to see the Coast Guard get in on AUKUS. Some of the SEA 3000 design proposals could be a good replacement for the OPC if CG decides to scrap future orders.
Might be a good idea with the way the program is going right now. Argus was commissioned last year September and is still having work done. Hate to see an LCS repeat.
@dvandyk90 Argus was launched and christened 27 October, 2023, but it has not yet been delivered or commissioned. It was supposed to be delivered 30 September, 2024.
Contracts have been awarded for at least the first 5, four from Eastern and one from Austal.
Sounds good, but how long for a gestation period? The Coast Guard is still waiting for icebreakers and OSV’s.
This looks like a general deprioritization of the Atlantic to me. If it was purely about the border, there wouldn’t be increased presence in Guam, Samoa, and the Marianas. That deployment is clearly targeted at China. My read on the situation is that this is accepting more risk with the east coast fisheries (which I assume are less threatened by China due to geography) and reducing the number of ships available to monitor the Russian Navy to free up assets to better address both the border and China.
Also, remember that it’s virtually impossible to achieve perfect maritime interdiction. Even if current efforts are working reasonably well, adding more assets will improve performance. Furthermore, if the land border becomes more secure, the pressure it applies to smuggling operations will cause them to shift to the sea, driving an increased need for presence.
Does seem we are seeing more maritime immigration via the Pacific side Mexico into California.
This particular border also concerns me with regard to possible terrorist attack on San Diego. Ships declaring intent to go to Ensenada, could quickly divert to attack San Diego.
Can anybody give and update on the status of the USCGC Argus?
Argus was launched and christened in October 2023. Target date for delivery was in September last year…not exactly sure what the estimated date is now.
May 2025 per SEAPOWER ALMANAC ⚓️