USS Spruance Deployed to US-Mexico Border for Security Operations

The USS Spruance, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, has been deployed from San Diego to the southern U.S. border to bolster military operations aimed at combating illegal immigration and drug smuggling. This deployment, announced by U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM), follows the recent dispatch of another destroyer, the USS Gravely, to enhance maritime enforcement efforts. Both ships will operate alongside a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, focusing on counter-terrorism and maritime security. The Spruance's mission reflects a broader initiative by the Trump administration to secure U.S. borders and address transnational crime. NORTHCOM officials highlighted that this deployment adds significant military capabilities to the ongoing efforts against maritime threats. The Spruance had recently returned from a deployment in the Indo-Pacific and Middle East, where it engaged in operations against Iranian-backed Houthis in the Red Sea.