Photo: Moment RF
The United States Navy is sending another warship to the southern border to help limit illegal immigration and drug smuggling.
On Saturday, the Navy announced they would be sending an additional destroyer to aid in the ongoing maritime efforts. The USS Spruance, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, departed Naval Base San Diego on Saturday.
According to a statement from the Navy, Spruance will enhance maritime efforts, support interagency collaboration and contribute to a coordinated and robust response to combating maritime-related terrorism, weapons proliferation, transnational crime, piracy, environmental destruction and illegal seaborne immigration.
"USS Spruance’s deployment as part of U.S. Northern Command’s southern border mission brings additional capability and expands the geography of unique military capabilities working with the Department of Homeland Security," said Gen. Gregory Guillot, USNORTHCOM commander.
Coast Guard officials said earlier this month that hundreds of migrant boat encounters were logged near the San Diego coast in the last 90 days.
The destroyer will be accompanied by an embedded U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment created in 1982.