Trump seeks military control over land near Mexico border
4 Min Read
Trump ordered that the new powers be enacted initially in a “limited sector of federal lands,” with a review scheduled 45 days from the date of the directive.
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A US Army M1126 Stryker vehicle is placed at the US-Mexico border as part of Joint Task Force Southern Border Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Douglas, Ariz (AP)
US President Donald Trump has issued a directive handing the Defense Department expanded authority over federal lands near the US-Mexico border, intensifying his crackdown on undocumented migration.
In a memorandum released Friday evening, Trump instructed key cabinet secretaries to transfer the jurisdiction of specific federal lands to the Department of Defense. These include the Roosevelt Reservation—a narrow strip along the southwestern border that spans Arizona, New Mexico, and California—though it excludes Native American reservations.
Wider context
Trump's order paves the way to “enable military activities directed in this memorandum to occur on a military installation” along the border, authorizing the military to carry out operations, “including border-barrier construction and emplacement of detection and monitoring equipment.” It further allows for the designation of those areas as “National Defense Areas.”
Additionally, the directive gives the Defense Secretary the power to “exclude persons from a military installation,” citing existing authorities—an expansion that could pave the way for expulsions of undocumented migrants from the designated zones.
Trump ordered that the new powers be enacted initially in a “limited sector of federal lands,” with a review scheduled 45 days from the date of the directive.
Since returning to office, Trump has intensified efforts to fulfill his campaign pledge to combat illegal immigration and secure the southern border, with a sharp uptick in deportations marking the early months of his term.
Read more: European tourists' detentions at US borders raise concerns
Trump admin. directs satellite agencies to monitor border with Mexico
As part of a broad crackdown on illegal immigration and drug cartels, the Trump administration authorized last month two spy agencies to train its satellite monitoring capabilities at the United States-Mexico border.
Trump made immigration enforcement a primary focus of his campaign, halting green card applications and conducting mass deportations.
The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), both part of the Department of Defense, monitor spy satellites and analyze imagery for the Pentagon and other intelligence agencies.
Their actions, combined with force deployments, demonstrate the growing militarization of the southern border, where President Donald Trump has proclaimed a national emergency.
Reuters could not confirm if the program, which had not previously been revealed, would collect pictures of US territory.
When questioned by Reuters about their responsibilities in border monitoring, the NGA claimed it had formed a task group to coordinate its "support to the US border mission." At the same time, the NRO said it was working with the intelligence community and the Pentagon "to secure US borders."
Their involvement comes in reaction to Trump's broad executive steps targeted at halting illicit border trafficking and crossings, as well as deporting individuals in the US illegally, which are believed to number up to 14 million people.
While the government has been using artificial intelligence and drone monitoring along the border for years, the current plan aims to broaden the use of military assets designed for combat elsewhere.
According to two sources familiar with the program, the government might utilize AI to identify things or people of interest by combing through satellite photographs and other data feeds, similar to what the Defense Department does on the battlefield.
Though Reuters could not discover the actual scale of this endeavor, three analysts said the increasing focus on the border may require the government to consider measures against gathering intelligence on Americans.
While regulations typically prohibit US spy services from surveilling Americans and other legal residents, immigration authorities are permitted to perform physical searches "within a reasonable distance from any external boundary of the United States." Regulations define this as 100 air miles from the border, which includes locations such as San Diego and El Paso.
Read next: Supreme court clears Trump’s deportations under Alien Enemies Act
