The Trump Administration is expanding its presence along the Rio Grande.

It's called Operation River Wall, and it involves putting more U.S. Coast Guard boats on the water.

Commander of Coast Guard Forces Rio Grande Captain Christopher Cumberland is leading the mission to intercept migrants illegally crossing the river.

"So if we see an illegal immigrant crossing the river, whether that's on a raft, walking or swimming, we'll pull them out," Cumberland said.

The Coast Guard's mission, Operation River Wall, was launched by the Trump Administration earlier this month. It's their latest effort to secure the border.

Coast Guard resources are being placed where they're needed most.

"We didn't have to increase any additional bodies across the surface, but we're searching additional people and resources here to the Rio Grande," Cumberland said.

In just two weeks, the Coast Guard has made about 20 apprehensions, including women and children.

"We were able to see where the legal immigration worked their way up the bank, and we were caught in the very tail end of it, so we blocked off their ability to return to Mexico," Cumberland said.

Training and safety are a top priority, especially for new crews adjusting to the deep South Texas heat and changing river conditions.

"A little bit Texas heat, but in general, the river conditions are very different. They're always changing," Cumberland said.

Channel 5 News rode along the Rio Grande with the Coast Guard during Operation River Wall. No illegal river crossings were seen in the half an hour news crews were onboard. 

Border crossings are low in the RGV sector.

In fiscal year 2025, which started in October 2024 and ended last September, there were only around 35,000 people stopped by border patrol.

The Coast Guard says it plans to keep that added presence in place as long as needed.

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