Trump Orders Military Control of Federal Border Lands in Crackdown on Illegal Immigration

The directive designates the Roosevelt Reservation as a National Defense Area, enabling military activities and detention of migrants for a 45-day trial phase.

President Trump signed a memorandum authorizing the military to take control of the Roosevelt Reservation, a 60-foot-wide federal strip along the U.S.-Mexico border, to bolster border security.
The military is tasked with constructing barriers, deploying detection systems, and temporarily detaining migrants who cross into the designated area.
The directive excludes Native American reservations and allows Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to assess the initiative's effectiveness within 45 days, with potential for expansion to other federal lands.
Critics argue the move may circumvent the Posse Comitatus Act, which limits military involvement in domestic law enforcement, by reclassifying the land as a military installation.
This action is part of a broader immigration enforcement strategy by the Trump administration, which has included previous military deployments and a national emergency declaration.