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U.S. Senators Katie Britt, R-Ala., and Cindy Hyde-Smith, R-Miss., traveled Wednesday to the U.S. Coast Guard Sector Key West and the headquarters of the Joint Interagency Task Force South (JIATF-S) to learn more about agencies’ critical roles in combatting illicit narcotics, illegal migration, and human trafficking.
Britt and Hyde-Smith serve on the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, with Senator Britt currently serving as ranking member of the panel that funds the USCG. The lawmakers were joined by Admiral Linda Fagan, the 27th Commandant of the Coast Guard.dy
“The U.S. Coast Guard’s commitment to protecting our maritime borders is nothing short of heroic, and I appreciated the opportunity to meet with many of the courageous Americans who patrol our seas and defend our shores. I will continue to make it a top priority in the new Congress to ensure the U.S. Coast Guard has the resources and support needed to keep our homeland safe and to strengthen our national security,” said Senator Britt. “I am grateful for Senator Hyde-Smith’s continued leadership and partnership as we work to advance solutions to combat drug and human trafficking.”
“Most Americans are eager to see a much-needed increased focus on border security. As we prepare for the new Congress, I look forward to working with Coast Guard leadership and the new administration to reinforce our commitment to being a nation of laws, with national security as a top priority,” Senator Hyde-Smith said. “I appreciated the opportunity to visit with our brave service men and women as they uphold our laws and save lives.”
During their official visit to Florida, Britt and Hyde-Smith learned about the increasing challenges faced by the USCG Sector Key West and JIATF-S, including:
- Maritime smuggling accounts for a significant number of attempted crossings, with the joint task force interdicting an increasing number of individuals in recent years. Maritime border attempts and interdictions increased dramatically under the current administration from around 3,000 in FY2021 to more than 12,000 in both FY2022 and FY2023.
- The national security threat posed by vessels departing from nations experiencing significant social upheaval is significant and provides potential malign actors with a route that can be very difficult to monitor.
- The humanitarian crisis generated by maritime migration is also challenging, as many illegal migrants utilize nearly derelict vessels to attempt open-ocean travel, often requiring U.S. Coast Guard rescue in conjunction with interdiction.
- Transnational criminal organizations utilize maritime routes to transport narcotics at sea in an effort to evade law enforcement. JIATF-S is a driving force to combat the impacts of illicit narcotics at home and abroad by coordinating U.S. agencies alongside partner nations to combat these threats to regional stability.
USCG Sector Mobile, located in Mobile, Alabama, is part of the 8th Coast Guard District and home to 18 units including Cutters, Small Boat Stations, Aids to Navigation Teams, and Marine Safety Detachments. Mobile is also home to the Coast Guard Aviation Training Center, a multi-mission unit where training is conducted to qualify USCG pilots. Established in 1966, the Aviation Training Center has grown to over 400 active-duty military, civilian, and contract personnel, and is one of the largest non-industrial employers in the Mobile area.
