Trump Deploys Navy Destroyer to Bolster Southern Border Security

The USS Gravely, a warship previously active in Middle East combat, is being sent to address rising seaborne migration and smuggling operations.

The USS Gravely, a guided-missile destroyer, departed from Virginia to support U.S. border security operations under President Trump's executive orders.
This marks the first deployment of a Navy destroyer to the southern border, a region typically overseen by the U.S. Coast Guard.
The Pentagon states the ship will address illegal seaborne migration, transnational crime, and other maritime threats, filling critical capability gaps for border enforcement.
The Gravely's deployment follows an uptick in small boat crossings and complements Trump's broader efforts to strengthen land and maritime border defenses.
Equipped with advanced weaponry and a Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, the Gravely is also seen as a potential signal to cartels and other criminal networks.