Particle.news
Download on the App Store
4 ARTICLES
·
last mo.

Trump Administration Grants Military Control Over Key Border Lands

A new directive transfers authority of the Roosevelt Reservation to the Department of Defense, initiating a 45-day review period for expanded border security measures.

Aerial view of a Roosevelt Water Conservation District’s Consolidated Canal
A member of the U.S. Army 212 Infantry 2nd Brigade stands next to the US-Mexico border as part of Joint Task Force Southern Border Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Douglas, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Image

Overview

  • President Trump signed a memorandum authorizing the Department of Defense to assume control of the Roosevelt Reservation, a 60-foot-wide federal corridor along parts of California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
  • The directive empowers the military to construct barriers, deploy surveillance equipment, and designate areas as active military zones called 'National Defense Areas.'
  • A 45-day assessment period has been initiated for the Secretary of Defense to evaluate the initial phase and consider expanding military control to additional federal lands.
  • Critics argue that the move may violate the Posse Comitatus Act, which limits military involvement in domestic law enforcement, raising legal and constitutional concerns.
  • Supporters of the measure, including a retired ICE agent, emphasize the need for military resources to address challenges in securing the southern border effectively.