WASHINGTON D.C.—Today, Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security Chairman Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) and Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement Chairman Michael Guest (R-MS) delivered the following opening statements in a hearing to assess the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) efforts to combat illicit maritime activities, including cartel smuggling operations, which pose significant threats to U.S. national security and public safety. 

Watch Chairman Gimenez’s full opening statement in a hearing entitled, “From Cartels to Coastlines: An Examination of U.S. Federal Efforts to Confront Illicit Maritime Activities in U.S. Waters.”

As prepared for delivery:

Good morning. I want to thank everyone for being here today. I especially want to thank Chairman Guest and the Subcommittee on Border Security and Enforcement for working with us to hold this joint hearing on a matter of growing importance to the security of the homeland.

Transnational criminal organizations, or TCOs, remain agile and persistent adversaries. For years, these groups have exploited vulnerabilities at our southern land border, where drug smuggling, human trafficking, and illegal migration surged to historic levels under the Biden administration.

Since the beginning of 2025, however, public data suggests a notable decline in many of these illegal flows. That progress is due, in large part, to the renewed focus and decisive action being taken under the current Trump Administration to restore control and enforce our laws.

But as we improve security on land, we must not allow our maritime domain to become the next weak point. Increasingly, criminal networks are turning to the sea, where vast distances, patchwork jurisdictions, and limited real-time visibility offer TCOs a lower risk of detection and a high reward for moving contraband.

Although maritime routes account for a smaller share of illegal migration and narcotics trafficking compared to land routes, the threat remains serious. TCOs and other criminal actors are leveraging everything from go-fast boats, fishing vessels, and narco-submarines to container ships and commercial cargo fleets to move cocaine, synthetic drugs, weapons, and human cargo into the United States.

In the first half of this fiscal year alone, the U.S. Coast Guard has already seized and offloaded more cocaine than it did in all of Fiscal Year 2024, a clear indicator that illicit maritime activity remains a persistent challenge despite improved enforcement efforts. The scale and sophistication of these operations require an equally coordinated and capable response.

As the Representative of the Florida Keys and much of South Florida, I know firsthand how vulnerable our maritime borders can be. From the Caribbean to the Straits of Florida and up the Atlantic coast, our region has long been a strategic target for smugglers and cartels seeking to enter the U.S. undetected. The threat to our ports, shipping routes, and coastal areas is not theoretical. It directly affects the day-to-day security and economic stability of South Florida.

Moreover, while most fentanyl still enters the U.S. through land ports of entry, we cannot ignore the possibility that maritime routes are being used to transport precursor chemicals or synthetic opioids manufactured abroad. This is particularly concerning given the well-documented role that entities based in the People’s Republic of China continue to play in supplying the chemical building blocks used to manufacture fentanyl in Mexico. These synthetic opioids are then trafficked into American communities, often with devastating consequences.

Whether through negligence or indifference, Beijing has failed to stop the flow of these chemicals, contributing to a crisis that now claims the lives of tens of thousands of Americans each year.

To its credit, the Trump Administration has made maritime security a greater priority by investing in interdiction efforts, revitalizing partnerships with key regional allies, and applying needed pressure on adversarial regimes that threaten the safety of the Western Hemisphere. These steps mark a welcome shift in our posture. But as this hearing will show, more must be done.

We need a comprehensive maritime security strategy that includes enhanced detection capabilities, more robust interagency coordination, and expanded use of advanced technology to monitor, interdict, and deter illicit maritime activity.

Today’s hearing is an opportunity to assess how our federal agencies are responding to these evolving maritime threats. We will hear from those on the front lines about what is working, where the challenges remain, and what resources or authorities may be needed to close remaining gaps.

Thank you again to our witnesses for being here today. I look forward to your insights and to a productive discussion on how we can better protect our coasts, our communities, and our country from illicit activity at sea.

Watch Chairman Guest’s full opening statement here.

As prepared for delivery: 

Good morning. I want to begin by strongly condemning the senseless violence and lawlessness we have watched unfold in California since last week. I commend the brave men and women of our federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, as well as the National Guard and the U.S. Marines, who have stepped up in this moment to restore order and protect Americans from the chaos while reaffirming the rule of law. It is a sad state of affairs when simply enforcing longstanding immigration law is used to justify violent riots like this—and even more sad that the Left is standing not with law enforcement, but with the rioters and illegal aliens.

Today’s hearing provides an opportunity to examine the Department of Homeland Security’s efforts to deter, detect, and disrupt illicit maritime activities that threaten our national security and undermine the rule of law.

I want to thank our distinguished panel of witnesses for appearing before us today. Your expertise is vital as we evaluate the challenges and solutions in securing America’s vast maritime domain.

From the Gulf of America to the shores of Alaska, the United States’ maritime border spans thousands of miles of coastline and is comprised of a network of waterways, shipping routes, and ports that facilitate commerce and play a vital role in our national security defense. 

While our natural maritime geography is a strength, it also presents significant challenges. The Caribbean and Pacific regions, in particular, have become prime targets for cartels and criminal organizations that use fast boats, fishing vessels, and semi-submersibles to evade detection while moving narcotics, weapons, and human cargo into the United States.

While President Trump has strengthened security at our land border – achieving a remarkable 95% decrease in daily border encounters within the administration’s first 100 days – we must continue to remain vigilant to the fact that cartels are agile and adaptive. As enforcement strengthens on land, these criminal networks are shifting their operations to the sea.

To counter these threats, the Department of Homeland Security employs a whole-of-government approach, incorporating its federal law enforcement partners on joint maritime border security operations. Each of the components with us today play a crucial role in this effort.

The Coast Guard is our nation’s oldest continuous seagoing service and a cornerstone of maritime border security. With a unique blend of military, law enforcement, regulatory, and humanitarian roles, the Coast Guard is often the first and only presence in remote maritime areas. It interdicts vessels far from U.S. shores, often before threats reach the homeland, and seizes hundreds of thousands of pounds of illicit drugs each year.

CBP’s Air and Marine Operations is the nation’s only federal agency dedicated to aviation and maritime law enforcement. With a fleet of high-speed interceptors, coastal patrol vessels, fixed-wing surveillance aircraft, and unmanned aircraft systems, AMO conducts complex interdiction missions across the air and sea. Its mission is to safeguard the American people and AMO is on the front lines of maritime border security—providing critical intelligence and rapid-response capability.

Homeland Security Investigations also plays a critical role in maritime border security, primarily serving as the investigative arm for transnational criminal activity. HSI investigates transnational criminal organizations involved in a broad range of crimes, such as the trafficking of narcotics and human smuggling.

It’s a team effort, with each agency bringing unique skill sets.

Success also relies on working with our international partners.

To enhance these efforts, I have been working with committee staff and intend to introduce legislation that would enhance the presence and operations of CBP in foreign countries working alongside U.S. law enforcement. This bill would greatly expand CBP’s capability of targeting threats abroad before they reach our shores.

Let me be clear – border security does not stop at our land border. DHS maritime operations have resulted in an untold number of vessels being interdicted with aliens attempting to illegally enter our country, as well as hundreds of thousands of pounds of illicit drugs seized annually at our maritime border. 

Securing our maritime border is essential to protecting our national security. Confronting these threats protects the safety of our families and communities across our nation.

I look forward to today’s discussion and to working with my colleagues to find solutions that enhance and prioritizes maritime border security.

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