Patrol and Reconnaissance wings 10 and 11 are conducting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions on the southern border, a Navy official confirmed to USNI News on Monday
The two air wings, based out of Whidbey Island, Wash., and Jacksonville, Fla., are conducting P-8 flights, Lt. David Glaser, a Navy spokesman, told USNI News. Right now, the squadrons involved are VP-45 and VP-46, but they will likely rotate, Glaser said.
The air wings did not need to be relocated, Glaser said. Navy photos posted to DVIDS show the crew of VP-45 conducting a P-8 flight mission on Jan. 30.
Glaser referred further questions to U.S. Northern Command. NORTHCOM and U.S. Naval Forces Southern Command/U.S. Fourth Fleet did not immediately respond to inquiries from USNI News.
The flights come after the presidential executive order that directs Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to expand the Migrant Operations Center at Naval Station Guantanamo Bay in Cuba, in order to have more detention space for “high-priority criminal aliens unlawfull present in the United States, according to the Jan. 28 order.
“This memorandum is issued in order to halt the border invasion, dismantle criminal cartels, and restore national sovereignty,” reads the executive order.
More than 300 service members arrived at Guantanamo Bay over the weekend to support the operation to hold immigrants lacking permanent legal status, according to a release from U.S. Southern Command.
“The number of service members will continue to fluctuate as additional forces are tasked to deploy and will be scaled based on the requirements of the Department of Homeland Security, which is the lead federal agency,” reads a statement from SOUTHCOM.
Although the release did not specify units, the service members U.S. Army South and Marines with 1st Battalion, 6th Marine Regiment and 2nd Marine Division.
The Coast Guard, which is under DHS, has also conducted several border missions since President Donald Trump took office on Jan. 20.
The Coast Guard has conducted multiple flights between California and Texas in response to Trump’s executive orders on migration.
“Through these ongoing operations, the Coast Guard is detecting, deterring and interdicting aliens, drug smugglers and individuals intent on terrorism or other hostile activity before they reach our border. The Coast Guard continues to surge assets and personnel from across the nation to enhance presence in key areas and secure U.S. borders and maritime approaches,” reads a Coast Guard release.
The service has also put out a number of releases about interdictions and repatriations of people attempting to come into the United States illegally. Of note, Coast Guard interdictions, including those off of Point Loma, Calif., were occurring prior to Trump’s inauguration.
