MISSION, Texas (Border Report) — Wearing kevlar bulletproof vests under personal flotation devices in triple-digit heat, members of the U.S. Coast Guard packed into two boats and launched into the Rio Grande from a public boat ramp in this border town in deep South Texas.

Border Report was allowed to ride along Thursday as part of the crew’s nightly patrols.

The agency, which is under the Department of Homeland Security, assists the U.S. Border Patrol and U.S. Customs and Border Protection stop illegal immigration and drugs from Mexico.

That mission has increased since President Donald Trump returned to the White House and Congress nearly doubled the Coast Guard’s budget allocating about $25 billion for the agency in the recent budget bill that Trump signed into law on July 4.

“Since January of this year, we have stepped up certain assets to key maritime areas, such as the Rio Grande, and to surge forces down here to assist,” said Chief Petty Officer Andrew Werner, who leads this Coast Guard Maritime Safety and Security Team from New Orleans.

They run two boats nightly loaded with weapons and other tactical equipment, as well as equipment to help anyone drowning in the Rio Grande.

“There are some very very deep spots, 20 to 30 feet deep and there are some shallow spots too. So as we found out running the river, up and down here. It’s a fun place to run on the river but it also can be very dangerous,” Werner said.

During their four-hour tours they try to spot cartel activity, and earmark spotters who work for the transnational criminal organizations (TCOs) and notify them of U.S. law enforcement’s presence on the river.

“We stay vigilant,” says Werner, who also drives one of the boats.

“We have a couple long guns loaded up and then we all carry personal defense weapons. We’re dealing with trans criminal organizations across the border. We understand there‘s a lot of people coming over here to try to find a better life but they’re also dealing with those people to come across here and they are right there. So we need to be ready at any time,” he said.

Mexican cartels also have drones in the air and spotters on the ground all along the river.

Werner says they look for vehicles with only one occupant and folks videotaping them as they pass in very rural areas of Mexico. “Those could likely be working for the cartel,” he said. “They do use drones as a tactic to spot and they do have people on the Mexican side, they do have spotters to call us out and report our positions.”

“When the money is there, the technology is there as well. So it’s hard to keep up with what they have and what we have to counter-detect what they have. We’re always going to be chasing,” Werner said. “It’s a billion dollar industry.”

Despite historically low encounters of immigrants trying to illegally cross the Southwest border in July, Werner says they must remain on guard.

CBP reports just 4,601 arrests in July, down 92% from 56,400 in July 2024, under the Biden administration. July 20 had the single-day lowest total in agency history with just 116 arrests, CBP says.

Despite the decreased border encounters, Werner says they must remain vigilant because they face a new and unusual challenge: More Mexicans are feeling safer about coming to the border to swim, picnic and have parties, and it’s tougher for them to discern who’s part of a TCO and who are just everyday citizens.

“Since January, there’s obviously been a significant slowdown of bodies coming across the river. Since then the TCOs have pushed away from the river because the Mexican military has had a greater presence on the river. So there’s been a lot more regular civilians coming to the riverside,” he said. They “didn’t really see a lot of people fishing before. It was dangerous to come out. So now since the TCO’s have moved away from control of the river, people are coming out to actually fish and enjoy the river so it is kind of harder to see somebody.”

With the heat in triple-digits, dozens of people were swimming and wading in the banks of the Rio Grande this evening. Children called out to Coast Guard to steer boats closer so they could get splashed from the wake. Others waved from shore and cheered and clapped.

These “Coasties,” as they call themselves, radio other law enforcement, like Border Patrol when they see activity or need assistance. And he says they have each others’ backs.

“We are on the river with Border Patrol – assisting them, they’re assisting us, it’s just a mutual assistance back and forth,” he said.

Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.