Washington—On Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard are present at the southern border to emphasize the Trump administration’s initiatives against illegal crossings and drug trafficking, following President Trump’s joint address to Congress, which prominently featured immigration issues.
The top officials are visiting Eagle Pass, Texas, a town situated about 100 miles west of San Antonio. Vance and Hegseth’s visit marks the first time high-ranking administration officials have been to the southern border since President Trump’s inauguration. They arrived just a day after the Trump administration enforced 25% tariffs on nearly all imported goods from Mexico, attributing the move to Mexico’s management of border issues, which notably impacted stock markets.
“We require more action from both Mexico and Canada, especially concerning the fentanyl and drugs flooding into the United States,” the president stated on Tuesday night. “They will take action. I have submitted a detailed funding request to Congress outlining precisely how we will mitigate these threats and execute the largest deportation effort in American history.”
Illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border have significantly decreased since Trump assumed office. In February, during his first full month, the White House reported that illegal entry figures hit a 25-year low. Moreover, the administration asserts that over 50,000 individuals residing illegally in the U.S. have been deported, including migrants with violent criminal backgrounds.
The 28,000-resident city of Eagle Pass, where Vance and other officials are heading, falls within the district of Republican Rep. Tony Gonzales, which covers much of the Texas-Mexico border.
Vance is no stranger to the southern border; he previously visited the border wall in San Diego, California, in September.
