Coast Guard patrols Rio Grande as Pentagon sends more resources

(NewsNation) — The U.S. Coast Guard is set to host a press conference Thursday to discuss patrol efforts along the southern border, including work along the Rio Grande as part of Operation River Wall.

The press conference is scheduled for 2 p.m. in Mission, Texas. The Department of Homeland Security announced the launch of Operation River Wall earlier this month as part of the Trump administration’s ongoing crackdown on illegal immigration. The operation marks the biggest border enforcement surge by the Coast Guard in decades.

According to the Coast Guard, its deployment is focused on a 260-mile stretch of the Rio Grande near Mission, Texas. As part of its deployment, the DHS says the Coast Guard has brought “more than 100 boats and hundreds of personnel” to work in tandem with Border Patrol and U.S. Northern Command.

“The men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard are experts at defending America’s maritime borders — they have been doing that with honor, respect and devotion to duty since 1790,” Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. “Now, Coast Guard Forces Rio Grande and Operation River Wall will be a force multiplier in defending against illegal immigration."

It is unclear if Noem will be in attendance during the press conference. In addition to discussing Operation River Wall, officials are expected to outline the next phase of defense at the southern border, including permanent command and control teams stationed in the region.