U.S. military granted unprecedented authority to detain migrants on New Mexico border as Trump administration expands border security operations.
Top Takeaways
- A 60-foot-wide zone along the New Mexico-Mexico border has been designated as part of Arizona’s Fort Huachuca, giving the military new detention powers.
- U.S. Northern Command can now search, detain, and provide medical assistance to migrants in the newly designated New Mexico National Defense Area.
- The military expansion covers more than 170 miles in New Mexico, with plans to add 90+ miles in Texas in coming weeks.
- This authority shift represents a significant change in military involvement in border management, traditionally limited to prevent militarization of policing.
- The Department of the Interior transferred nearly 110,000 acres of federal land to the Army for border operations for a three-year period.
Military Powers Expanded at New Mexico Border
The U.S. Northern Command has received enhanced authorities to target illegal immigrants crossing into a newly designated military zone along the New Mexico-Mexico border. This 60-foot-wide strip of land has been officially designated as part of Arizona’s Fort Huachuca, effectively transferring jurisdiction to military control. The designation grants U.S. Army personnel unprecedented powers to search and detain individuals who cross illegally into this area before handing them over to Customs and Border Protection or other law enforcement agencies. This move implements President Trump’s executive orders aimed at curbing illegal immigration through increased military presence at the southern border.
The border reinforcement strategy includes the deployment of Joint Task Force-Southern Border, which will conduct enhanced detection and monitoring operations through vehicle and foot patrols, along with aerial surveillance. The task force will also assist with setting up temporary barriers, signage, and fencing in designated areas. This represents a strategic expansion of military capabilities traditionally kept separate from civilian law enforcement functions but now being integrated into border management operations to address what the administration describes as a national security concern.
🚨 BREAKING: TRUMP JUST TURNED THE BORDER INTO A MILITARY ZONE 🚨
The game has changed.
President Trump has just authorized the U.S. MILITARY to take control of federal land along the southern border.
→ 60 feet wide.
→ Stretching across California, Arizona & New Mexico.
→… pic.twitter.com/DJt2IsVvUh— Jim Ferguson (@JimFergusonUK) April 12, 2025
Land Transfer and Military Jurisdiction
On April 11, President Trump transferred control of the Roosevelt Reservation area from the Department of the Interior to the Department of Defense. This public land borders Mexico and spans portions of Arizona and New Mexico. The Interior Department has transferred approximately 110,000 acres of federal land to the Army for a three-year period specifically to support Border Patrol operations. The expanded military jurisdiction allows for a more coordinated approach to border security with dedicated resources and command structures specifically designed to manage migration challenges.
“Through these enhanced authorities, U.S. Northern Command will ensure those who illegally trespass in the New Mexico National Defense Area are handed over to Customs and Border Protection or our other law enforcement partners. Joint Task Force-Southern Border will conduct enhanced detection and monitoring, which will include vehicle and foot patrols, rotary wing, and fixed surveillance site operations,” said Gen. Gregory Guillot, USNORTHCOM commander.
The designation of these lands as a National Defense Area gives military personnel specific authorities they wouldn’t normally have in civilian settings. This includes the ability to conduct searches, implement crowd control measures, detain individuals, and provide basic medical assistance until law enforcement officials arrive. These powers represent a significant expansion of the military’s role in addressing border security concerns beyond their traditional support functions to civilian agencies.
Future Expansion of Military Border Operations
According to White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, the administration’s border security plans extend beyond the current New Mexico operations. The newly created national defense area currently spans more than 170 miles along the New Mexico border, but the White House has indicated plans to add more than 90 miles of similar military-controlled territory in Texas in the coming weeks. This phased approach suggests a methodical expansion of the military’s border presence as part of the administration’s broader immigration enforcement strategy.
“Last week, President Trump signed a National Security Presidential Memorandum directing federal agencies administering federal land on the border to make land available to the Defense Department in a new national defense area. … This new national defense area spans more than 170 miles across our border in New Mexico. But in the coming weeks, this administration will add more than 90 miles in the state of Texas,” said Leavitt.
The expanded military presence along the southern border represents a significant strategic shift in how border security is managed. Historically, the military’s involvement in domestic policing activities has been deliberately limited to prevent militarization of civilian law enforcement. This development marks a notable departure from that tradition, giving Army troops direct involvement in immigration enforcement activities through their new powers to detain, search, and process individuals crossing the border illegally before transferring them to conventional law enforcement agencies.
