Overview

• President Trump signed a memorandum late Friday authorizing the military to assume control over the Roosevelt Reservation, a federal land strip spanning California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
• The directive enables military activities such as border-barrier construction, installation of monitoring equipment, and temporary detention of migrants crossing into these areas.
• The memorandum outlines a phased approach, with an initial assessment of the implementation to be conducted within 45 days by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who may expand military jurisdiction further.
• The administration frames the move as necessary to address 'threats' at the southern border, while critics argue it may circumvent the Posse Comitatus Act, which limits military involvement in domestic law enforcement.
• Native American reservations are explicitly excluded from the military's jurisdiction under the directive, which designates the controlled areas as 'National Defense Areas.'