The U.S. Coast Guard has struggled to meet its drug interdiction goals over the past decade, primarily due to a significant redirection of resources toward migrant interdiction efforts. A report released by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) indicates that the Coast Guard did not achieve its drug interdiction metrics between 2015 and 2024, while also falling short of its migrant interdiction targets in six of those years.
The GAO report highlights that the Coast Guard has diverted resources, including personnel and vessels, from drug enforcement to address a surge in maritime migration. This shift has coincided with a dramatic increase in the number of migrants attempting to cross through the Caribbean Sea and the Florida Straits, with nearly 70,000 migrants reported from 2022 to 2024. In contrast, the average number of migrants from 2015 to 2021 was approximately 8,200 per year.
Resource Allocation Challenges
The Coast Guard faced several operational challenges that have contributed to its failure to meet drug interdiction targets. The report notes that the service’s reliance on medium endurance cutters for drug interdiction was hampered by a decline in their operational availability due to equipment failures. Furthermore, delays in acquiring new vessels and aircraft, coupled with workforce shortages, exacerbated the situation.
By the end of 2024, the Coast Guard was short by 2,600 service members, a significant gap that hindered its ability to effectively carry out both drug and migrant interdiction missions. Although recruiting efforts met their goals in fiscal year 2024, the service struggled to maintain adequate staffing levels from 2019 to 2023.
In response to these challenges, Coast Guard officials have stated the need for improved performance measures. As of July 2025, they have developed six new drug interdiction performance metrics but are still in the early stages of establishing similar measures for migrant interdiction.
Impact of Migrant Interdiction Focus
While focusing on migrant interdiction, the Coast Guard has increased its operational hours for migrant missions by 66% from fiscal years 2021 to 2023. In contrast, operational hours dedicated to drug interdiction efforts decreased by 62%, leading to a significant drop in drug seizures. The number of drug seizures fell from 218 in 2021 to just 112 in 2023, coinciding with the peak of the migration surge.
The quantity of drugs seized also decreased, with 143,000 kilograms confiscated in 2021 compared to 110,000 kilograms in 2023. These statistics underscore the challenges faced by the Coast Guard in balancing its dual mission of drug interdiction and migrant rescue.
Compounding the issues, the GAO identified an increase in the operational needs for search-and-rescue missions, along with enhanced tactics from criminal organizations that have made evasion increasingly effective. Despite the focus shift, the Coast Guard only met its performance measures for migrant interdiction in fiscal years 2016, 2017, 2022, and 2023.
The GAO has recommended that the commandant of the Coast Guard prioritize the development of new performance measures for migrant interdiction. Additionally, it urged the Secretary of Homeland Security to ensure that the Operation Vigilant Sentry task force implements better strategies for sharing lessons learned across federal agencies.
As the Coast Guard navigates these complex challenges, the implications for both drug interdiction and migrant rescue efforts remain significant. The agency’s ability to effectively address both missions will be crucial in the coming years as migration patterns continue to evolve.
