Trump Orders Military Control of Borderland Amid Escalating Tensions
Saturday, April 12, 2025 16:02
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Trump Orders Military Control of Borderland Amid Escalating Tensions
Trump Orders Military Control of Borderland Amid Escalating Tensions
On April 11, 2025, President Donald Trump issued a memorandum authorizing the U.S. military to assume control over federal lands along the southern U.S.-Mexico border, intensifying his administration’s efforts to curb illegal immigration and drug trafficking. The directive specifically targets the Roosevelt Reservation—a 60-foot-wide strip of land spanning California, Arizona, and New Mexico—granting the Department of Defense jurisdiction to deploy troops, construct barriers, and install surveillance equipment.
Under the new order, military personnel are permitted to detain individuals suspected of unauthorized border crossings until they can be transferred to immigration authorities. The memorandum excludes Native American reservations and mandates a 45-day assessment period, after which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth may recommend expanding the operation’s scope.
This move builds upon a January executive order in which President Trump declared illegal immigration a national emergency and called for a militarized approach to border security. Critics argue that the increased military presence may challenge the Posse Comitatus Act, which restricts the use of federal troops in domestic law enforcement.
Despite the administration’s justification citing drug trafficking concerns, data indicate that most convicted fentanyl traffickers are U.S. citizens. Additionally, illegal border crossings have significantly declined, with only 7,200 migrant encounters reported in March compared to over 189,000 the previous year.
The directive underscores the Trump administration’s commitment to a hardline immigration policy, raising questions about the balance between national security and civil liberties.
