Introduction The United States Coast Guard is responsible for ensuring and enforcing maritime and border security. This critical national security component plays a vital role in proactively addressing threats and illegal immigration into the United States. United States national security is a responsibility shared by all security agencies. Security issues have been an elusive issue with many attacks directed towards the United States. While immigrants arriving via regular rail, road and air routes are easy to control, arrivals by sea have proven to be a challenging problem. Many use dark, poorly manned regions as ports to gain entry to the United States. They enter without proper documentation, which makes it difficult to identify them among those with a real identity. The United States Coast Guards are therefore tasked with patrolling the coasts of the United States to ensure that those approaching the coast have proper authentication. However, despite the critical role they play in maritime security, various law enforcement issues derail their efforts. About the Topic The topic of discussion in this work is enshrined in the mission challenges of the United States Coast Guard. The research topic is “Enforcement Ratios Caused by Different Immigration-Related Laws, Policies, and Procedures” (US Coast Guard Office of Law Enforcement. 2011, p. 6). According to Bush (2003), the security situation in the world is put to the test by growing global terrorism. The introduction of counterfeit products, the need to strengthen anti-dumping policies, drug and human trafficking remain a real threat in the United States (US Customs and Border Protection [CBP]. 2013). At times, the balance between ethics and regional security remains an elusive issue (Bush, 2003). Ethical... middle of paper... sister. Retrieved November 23, 2013, from http://www.nationalcenter.org/NPA542LawoftheSeaTreaty.htmlU.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Bureau. (2011). Maritime law enforcement: a critical component of national security and economic vitality. Retrieved November 23, 2013, from http://eeas.europa.eu/us/events/symposium2011/docs/louis_orsini_us_coast_guard_en.pdfU.S. Customs and Border Protection [CBP]. (2013). Importing into the United States: A Guide for Commercial Importers. Washington, DC: CBP Publication No. 0000-0504. Walser, R., McNeill, J. B., & Zuckerman, J. (2011). The human tragedy of illegal immigration: more efforts are needed to combat trafficking and violence. The Heritage Foundation. Retrieved November 23, 2013, from http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2011/06/the-human-tragedy-of-illegal-immigration-greater-efforts-needed-to-combat-smuggling-and- violence