WATCH YOUR STEP (IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE). Beachgoers may see more Border Patrol agents on horseback

“Our jurisdiction is anywhere in the U.S.,” he said. “There is nothing preventing us from operating on any of the U.S. coastlines.”

In addition to preventing smugglers from bringing people and drugs into the country, he said the enforcement effort is designed to prevent further introduction of COVID-19 into California communities.

“It is a multifaceted concern,” Stephenson said. “Any illegal entry, we don’t know who we are dealing with until we arrest them, process them. We don’t catch everybody.”