The Coast Guard has a critical statutory military obligation to provide coastal defenseyet it possesses what is perhaps the oldest fleet of any naval service in the world. The years have seen a drastic increase in the responsibilities and breadth of jurisdiction of the Coast Guard. Its duties have expanded to include fisheries enforcement. protection from drug smugglers. icebreaking. commercial vessel safety. pollution cei tification and control. environmental protection. illegal immigration patrols. and rescue duties to match our growing recreational and fishing fleets. What the Coast Guard has not seen is a commensurate increase in its funding sufficient to meet these new demands. A precarious balance now exists between these everexpanding programs and the resources available to meet them.
Keywords matched
illegal immigration