DHS Launches 'Operation River Wall' to Add Boats and Personnel Along Rio Grande Valley

As part of its ongoing border enforcement strategy, the Department of Homeland Security announced Monday that it will expand operations along the Rio Grande River in Texas.

Named "Operation River Wall" by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, the new initiative will deploy additional boats and tactical units across a 260-mile stretch of the river in an effort to further ensure control of the U.S.-Mexico border.

In a statement, DHS said the U.S. Coast Guard will lead the operation, increasing the number of patrol boats, shallow watercraft, command units and tactical response teams throughout the Rio Grande Valley. The Coast Guard stated that the deployment began on October 9 and will focus on Cameron and Hidalgo counties, extending to the Gulf of Mexico.

"President Trump delivered the most secure southern border in U.S. history in record time, and now, our goal is to make sure it stays that way for the long run," Noem said. "The men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard are experts at defending America's maritime borders. Now, Coast Guard Forces Rio Grande and Operation River Wall will be a force multiplier in defending against illegal immigration."

According to ABC News, the Coast Guard has tripled its presence at the southern border since the beginning of Donald Trump's second term.

Nonetheless, as El País reports, the operation comes during a period of relative calm. Unauthorized crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border dropped significantly in fiscal year 2025, which ended September 30, reaching their lowest level since the early 1970s.

The new task force is one more example of the Trump administration's ongoing focus on pouring federal resources into border enforcement.

As reported by The Latin Times last week, DHS and U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced the awarding of 10 contracts totaling more than $4.5 billion to private companies. These contracts cover construction of 230 additional miles of barriers along the southern border.

Officials said the funding will support the so-called Smart Wall, a hybrid system that includes steel fencing, water-based barriers, patrol roads, lighting, surveillance cameras and advanced detection technology.

"For years, Washington talked about border security but failed to deliver. This president changed that," CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott said in a statement. "The Smart Wall means more miles of barriers, more technology and more capability for our agents on the ground. This is how you take control of the border."

The U.S.-Mexico border spans 1,954 miles across mountains, deserts, rivers and remote terrain. According to DHS, 272 miles of new barriers have been awarded and are currently in the design phase, while only 44 miles are under active construction despite the billions of dollars already allocated.