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| Home Front: Politix |
| Coast Guard overhaul takes off amid Trump administration's immigration, narcotics crackdown |
| 2025-07-27 |
| [FoxNews] Efforts to overhaul the Coast Guard are gaining traction on Capitol Hill — coinciding with the Trump administration’s endeavor to revamp the service to address illegal migrant crossings and drug seizures. Multiple initiatives to update the Coast Guard are underway in both chambers of Congress, and within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). All seek to elevate the service so it’s on par with the other branches of the military that fall under the Department of Defense, and better equip it to tackle drug and immigration interdiction missions. House legislation authorizing funding for the service through 2029 recently cleared a committee vote and aims to empower the service to conduct these missions, according to Rep. Mike Ezell, R-Miss., a co-sponsor of the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025. "The Coast Guard is very similar to law enforcement," Ezell told Fox News Digital July 16. "It's going to fight the narcotics epidemic that we have coming into the country. Our Coast Guard officers and men and women are going to really be able to go after that." Such missions are only increasing for the Coast Guard. DHS announced July 15 that the service had seized a total of 242,244 pounds of cocaine since President Donald Trump took office in January. That amounts to a more than 100% increase in seizures in comparison to the same timeframe in 2024 during the Biden administration, according to DHS. Ezell, along with Reps. Sam Graves, R-Mo., Rick Larsen, D-Wash., and Salud Carbajal, D-Calif., introduced the Coast Guard Authorization Act July 2, and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed the measure July 15, paving the way for the measure to head to the House floor. One of the most significant provisions in the legislation would establish a civilian secretary of the Coast Guard to align more similarly with the other branches of the military that fall under the Department of Defense. The Coast Guard falls under the jurisdiction of DHS and does not have a top civilian leading the service. Installing a secretary of the service will "streamline some of this red tape that we've seen over the years that’s slowed progress down" because he or she will report directly to the White House and Congress — eliminating multiple layers of bureaucracy, according to Ezell. "This person is going to be instrumental in getting things done," Ezell said. Related: Coast Guard: 2025-07-14 Special Forces raid on 'narco tanker' that could expose the Irish gangsters behind the largest drug smuggling cartel in the world Coast Guard: 2025-07-07 Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer and Petty Officer Scott Ruskin, directly saved 165 victims in flooding in central Texas Coast Guard: 2025-06-17 Two Tankers On Fire in the Strait of Hormuz Near Iran (Likely Collision) Related: Department of Homeland Security: 2025-07-25 For years, US-approved visas meant for abused children went to adults, criminals and gang members, DHS finds Department of Homeland Security: 2025-07-24 10 kids held captive, sexually tortured with shock collars in Alabama basement as part of sex-trafficking ring: cops Department of Homeland Security: 2025-07-24 Man accused of assaulting federal officers arrested at San Ysidro Port of Entry |
| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #3 All seek to elevate the service DEA for drugs Navy for water intervention CBP for border smuggling Add FBI for Human Trafficing Will lose mission focus in that alphabet soup |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2025-07-27 08:59 |
| #2 that works |
| Posted by: 746 2025-07-27 02:52 |
| #1 Anyone ever notice that the whole weed smuggling thing totally disappeared since we legalized it? No more square grouper. |
| Posted by: Elmomoter Mussolini9149 2025-07-27 02:26 |