PHOTO RELEASE: Homeland Security Task Force Southeast participates in annual Integrated Advance 2019 exercise

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 04/15/2019 09:08 AM EDT

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News Release  

U.S. Coast Guard 7th District Southeast
Contact: 7th District Public Affairs
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Homeland Security Task Force Southeast participates in annual Integrated Advance 2019 exercise

Coast Guardsmen participate in Integrated Advance 2019 exercise at the Miami-Dade County Emergency Operations Center, April 12, 2019. The Coast Guard and member of multiple partner agencies participate in Integrated Advance 2019 exercise at the Miami-Dade County Emergency Operations Center, April 12, 2019. Members of the Coast Guard, Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection participate in Integrated Advance 2019 exercise at the Miami-Dade County Emergency Operations Center, April 12, 2019.

Editor's Note: Click on images to download high resolution version.

MIAMI — The Homeland Security Task Force Southeast (HSTF-SE) and U.S. Southern Command (SOUTHCOM)’s annual interagency exercise, Integrated Advance, is taking place April 15 through April 18.

Integrated Advance provides an opportunity for HSTF-SE and its component commands, and multiple partners from varying levels in the Federal, State, and local governments, to exercise the whole of government response to a maritime mass migration scenario in the Caribbean.  In support of DHS’ plan to respond to a mass migration, which includes a supporting role for SOUTHCOM and its components, partner agencies train to be able to communicate and work together seamlessly and provide the required support if necessary to this humanitarian and national security crisis.

Homeland Security is the lead federal agency responsible for mass migration operations and SOUTHCOM trains every year in order to be able to support HSTF-SE's mass migration operations plan, Operation Vigilant Sentry.

"A mass migration is a large-scale, complex challenge that requires a coordinated government response from Federal, State, and local agencies," said Coast Guard Rear Adm. Peter Brown, commander of Coast Guard 7th District and Director, Homeland Security Task Force Southeast. "As we have unfortunately seen recently, illegal maritime migration can often lead to tragedy, such as the recent loss of more than 40 Haitian migrants at sea in three separate events. This mission is as much a humanitarian response as it is a border security mission and it is our responsibility to do everything we can do to train, integrate with, and support partner agencies in preparing for and responding to this potential crisis."

Homeland Security Task Force Southeast is a standing multi-agency team that unifies the whole of government effort to monitor, identify, mitigate, and respond to large-scale migration events. 

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