The U.S. Navy has deployed the USS Spruance, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, to support operations along the southern border, officials announced Saturday. Departing from Naval Base San Diego, the warship will assist in maritime efforts to curb illegal immigration, drug smuggling, and transnational crime.
The Spruance’s deployment aligns with President Donald Trump’s executive orders and a national emergency declaration aimed at restoring territorial integrity. The destroyer will enhance interagency collaboration and support operations against maritime-related terrorism, weapons proliferation, piracy, and environmental destruction.
“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.
The destroyer joins the USS Gravely, which was recently deployed to the Gulf of Mexico, reinforcing a robust naval presence on both coasts. This effort contributes to a coordinated Department of Defense response to securing the border.
In addition to its naval firepower, Spruance will carry an embedded U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment (LEDET), which specializes in maritime interdiction, counter-piracy, counter-terrorism, and homeland security operations.
Coast Guard officials recently reported hundreds of migrant boat encounters near the San Diego coast over the last 90 days, prompting increased military support. The Spruance’s mission follows its return to San Diego in December after a five-month deployment in the Middle East with the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group.
With this deployment, the U.S. military continues to play a key role in bolstering border security and enforcing immigration laws amid rising maritime threats.
