EL PASO, Texas — The U.S. Department of Defense announced on Thursday that it has designated an additional area along the U.S.-Mexico border as a military zone to bolster immigration law enforcement efforts.
The most recent area to receive this designation is located in Texas and is adjacent to the Fort Bliss Army base in El Paso. This move follows the establishment of a similar zone last month in New Mexico. Within these military zones, personnel are empowered to hold migrants who cross the border illegally until they can be handed over to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for further processing.
General Gregory Guillot, commander of the U.S. Northern Command, stated, “The establishment of a second National Defense Area increases our operational reach and effectiveness in denying illegal activity along the southern border.”
In New Mexico, individuals who have illegally entered the U.S. were recently charged with breaching a national defense area. This development comes after the Army took control over a 170-mile (274-kilometer) stretch, which is managed as an extension of the U.S. Army Garrison Fort Huachuca, located in Arizona.
Details regarding the precise size of the second designated zone in Texas were not disclosed in the military’s press release, and officials were not available to provide clarification on Thursday night.
Those apprehended while crossing these military zones may face federal charges pertinent to illegal entry into the U.S. and unauthorized trespass on military property. This strategy aligns with the broader initiatives under President Donald Trump’s administration, which has stationed thousands of troops at the border. As a result, the number of arrests has hit the lowest levels observed since the mid-1960s.
The establishment of military zones allows the federal government to circumvent an 1878 statute that restricts military engagement in civilian law enforcement roles.
During a recent visit to New Mexico, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth remarked, “Any illegal attempting to enter that zone is entering a military base, a federally protected area. You will be interdicted by U.S. troops and Border Patrol.”