“Coast Guard Cutter Seneca returns home after 54-day maritime border security patrol in the Windward Passage” –News Release

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Coast Guard Cutter Seneca (WMEC 906) patrols off coastal Haiti, March 1, 2025. The crew of Seneca conducted a 54-day maritime border security patrol in the Windward Passage. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Seaman Solana Laughlin). Note the shelter on the flight deck for migrants. 

Below is a news release from Coast Guard News.

I look at both this news release and an April 14 release about USCGC Spencer’s 92 day deployment to the Florida Straits, and it doesn’t look like much is happening.  146 Medium Endurance Cutter days and only one migrant interdiction. Zero drug interdictions. Is this the best allocation of resources?

As I noted in an earlier report passing along an April 1, 2025 news release about the repatriation of the 99 migrants mentioned in the news release below.

“Since the beginning of fiscal year Oct. 1, 2025, Coast Guard crews have repatriated a total of 412 aliens to Haiti, compared to 857 aliens repatriated to Haiti in FY24.”

412 repatriated over six months vs 857 over twelve month, it appears that intercepts are being made at about the same rate, or perhaps a bit lower rate, than in FY24. The Coast Guard was on the job then, as it is now.

That is not a flood of immigrants, and a lot of assets are being employed.

Even the Navy is helping out in Caribbean. This release mentions, Cutters James (WMSL 754), Vigilant (WMEC 617), Valiant (WMEC 621), Tampa (WMEC 902), but no mention of Spencer or of any of the 20 Webber class cutters assigned to 7th District.

Even if Seneca had not intercepted the 99 immigrants 35 miles North of Cap-Haitien (at least 450 nautical miles from Florida and about 300 nautical miles from Puerto Rico) isn’t it likely some other cutter would have intercepted them?

Meanwhile in the Eastern Pacific Drug transit zones USCGC James makes 11 drug interceptions and USCGC Stone makes 12 interdictions, but still the vast majority of drugs are getting through.

April 22, 2025

Coast Guard Cutter Seneca returns home after 54-day maritime border security patrol in the Windward Passage

PORTSMOUTH, VA — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Seneca (WMEC 906) returned to their home port in Portsmouth, April 11, following a 54-day maritime border security patrol in the Windward Passage.

Seneca deployed in support of Homeland Security Task Force – Southeast (HSTF-SE) and Operation Vigilant Sentry (OVS) while underway in the Seventh Coast Guard District’s area of responsibility. Crew members directly contributed to safeguarding America by patrolling U.S. maritime borders and conducting alien interdiction operations.

While underway in the Windward Passage, Seneca’s crew interdicted an unsafe and illegal voyage with 99 aliens on board. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Air and Marine Operations aircrew initially detected the vessel. Seneca crew members launched a small boat, interdicting the voyage and transferring the aliens aboard Seneca before their repatriation to Haiti.

During the deployment, Seneca’s crew worked with many partners to include Coast Guard Cutters James (WMSL 754), Vigilant (WMEC 617), Valiant (WMEC 621), Tampa (WMEC 902), the Coast Guard Helicopter Interdiction Tactical Squadron and the Royal Netherlands Navy. Their joint efforts included counter-drug operations and advanced shipborne helicopter training, increasing joint interoperability between interagency and international partners.

“The integrity of our maritime borders is vital to national security, and I am proud of our crew’s hard work and determination throughout this deployment. Their dedicated commitment to deterrence of alien maritime migration saved lives from dangerous ventures at sea while safeguarding our borders,” said Cmdr. Lee Jones, commanding officer of Seneca. “Together with our partner agencies, we were able to effectively enforce United States customs and immigration laws against illegal entry.”

The Coast Guard, along with its HSTF-SE partners, maintains a continual presence with air, land, and sea assets in the Florida Straits, the Windward Passage, the Mona Passage, and the Caribbean Sea in support of OVS. The HSTF-SE combined, multi-layered approach is designed to protect the safety of life at sea while preventing unlawful maritime entry to the United States and its territories.

Seneca is a 270-foot, Famous-class medium endurance cutter. The cutter’s primary missions are alien interdiction, counter-drug operations, enforcement of federal fishery laws, and search and rescue in support of U.S. Coast Guard operations throughout the Western Hemisphere.

For information on how to join the U.S. Coast Guard, visit Go Coast Guard.com to learn about active duty and reserve, officer and enlisted opportunities. Information on how to apply to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy can be found here.

2 thoughts on ““Coast Guard Cutter Seneca returns home after 54-day maritime border security patrol in the Windward Passage” –News Release”

  1. Again it seems nothing is happening in the Windward Passage.

    https://www.news.uscg.mil/Press-Releases/Article/4223630/coast-guard-cutter-campbell-returns-home-after-62-day-patrol-in-the-windward-pa/

    PRESS RELEASE | June 23, 2025

    Coast Guard Cutter Campbell returns home after 62-day patrol in the Windward Passage

    NEWPORT, R.I.  — The crew of Coast Guard Cutter Campbell (WMEC 909) returned to their home port in Newport, Friday, following a 62-day patrol in the Windward Passage.  

    Campbell deployed in support of Operation Vigilant Sentry to advance the primary missions of safety of life at sea and deterrence of illegal alien ventures in known transit zones. Campbell’s crew conducted maritime safety and security missions while protecting America’s maritime borders from unlawful entry.

    While operating in the Seventh Coast Guard District’s area of responsibility, Campbell’s crew worked alongside the Coast Guard Cutters Diligence (WMEC 616), Vigorous (WMEC 627) and Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Gravely (DDG 107) with an embarked Coast Guard law enforcement detachment (LEDET) to support maritime counter-drug operations by maintaining custody of 14 suspected smugglers apprehended in the Caribbean Sea.  

    Campbell also successfully completed a three-day Aviation Standardization inspection in Miami, Florida which evaluated the crew’s equipment, training and proficiency for conducting shipboard-helicopter operations at sea. These inspections reinforce Coast Guard readiness for interdiction operations, long-range patrols, and search and rescue. Additionally, Campbell partnered with Coast Guard Station Miami and Vigorous for advanced boat tactics training.  

    “The Campbell and our Department of Homeland Security and Defense partners stood the watch day and night to deter irregular migration while helping the U.S. Coast Guard maintain full operational control of our southeastern maritime border,” said Cmdr. Jonathan Harris, commanding officer of Campbell. “I am very proud of this crew’s teamwork, ingenuity and professionalism throughout this patrol.” 

    HSTF-SE serves as the Department of Homeland Security lead for operational and tactical planning, command and control, and acts as a standing organization to interdict unlawful maritime migration attempts with federal, state and local partners. HSTF-SE continues to enhance enforcement efforts in support of OVS, which is the 2004 DHS plan to respond to mass maritime migration in the Caribbean Sea and the Florida Straits. 

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