In a historic move, the Pentagon has deployed a U.S. Navy warship to assist with border security, reinforcing President Donald Trump’s ongoing efforts to curb illegal immigration and smuggling along the U.S.-Mexico border.
The USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, set sail from Virginia on Saturday with a Coast Guard law enforcement team on board. The vessel, which previously played a role in defending against Houthi missile attacks in the Middle East, will now take on a new mission in the Gulf of Mexico, intercepting smugglers and unauthorized maritime crossings.
We are finally stopping this DESTRUCTIVE INVASION ON OUR BORDER:
– Trump just deployed a Navy Destroyer Ship to the Border to deter illegals from crossing
– DHS announced SEVEN new miles of border wall in ArizonaIllegal entries HAVE GONE DOWN BY 95%! pic.twitter.com/M7SbrJMn9X
— Chad Prather (@WatchChad) March 17, 2025
Gen. Gregory Guillot, commander of U.S. Northern Command, explained the significance of this deployment. “Gravely’s sea-going capacity improves our ability to protect the United States’ territorial integrity, sovereignty and security,” he said. The ship’s presence in American waters is part of a broader Department of Defense response to Trump’s executive orders focused on national security.
Guided Missile Destroyer USS Gravely heads to AMERICA'S southern border on 'Presidential executive order' — NorthCom
Gravely previously shot down Houthi cruise missile in Red Sea in 'closest encounter' yet from Yemeni attack
Is Trump dead serious on illegals? pic.twitter.com/V45GYOsIF5
— DocReQ (@DocReQIsBack) March 16, 2025
The Pentagon emphasized that the destroyer’s mission includes targeting transnational crime, piracy, drug trafficking and illegal seaborne immigration. Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell highlighted the importance of maritime security, stating, “It’s equally important to control our territorial waters, and this deployment directly supports U.S. Northern Command’s mission to protect our sovereignty.”
🚨NEW: Pentagon deploys Navy destroyer to secure Southern Border.
The USS Gravely, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer recently deployed to the Middle East, departed Saturday to secure the U.S. southern border.
I can’t imagine why.
Tick-tock cartels.
— Walter Curt (@WCdispatch_) March 17, 2025
The ship’s presence coincides with increasing efforts to seal the land border, forcing smugglers to seek alternative routes. Coast Guard officials recently noted an uptick in migrant boat encounters near the San Diego coast, with individuals from China, Russia, Uzbekistan and Pakistan among those intercepted.
Critics have questioned the need for a heavily armed destroyer rather than a Coast Guard cutter, but Pentagon officials stressed that the mission is about deterrence as well as enforcement. The USS Gravely’s deployment underscores Trump’s commitment to securing the border and demonstrates that illegal crossings, whether by land or sea, will face an aggressive response.
Officials have not provided a timeline for how long the destroyer will remain in the area, but its presence marks a significant escalation in border security operations.
