Latest news with #NationalDefenceArea
Dubai Eye
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Dubai Eye
US military to create two new border zones, officials say
The Pentagon will create two new military zones along the border with Mexico, US officials said, a move that allows troops to temporarily detain migrants or trespassers. President Donald Trump's administration has hailed its actions along the border, including the deployment of active duty troops, as the reason for a sharp decline in crossings by undocumented migrants. Trump made voters' concerns about immigration a cornerstone of his 2024 re-election bid. The Pentagon has already created two military zones, but only four people have been temporarily detained on them, a US official said. A new "National Defence Area" will be created covering about 402 km of the Rio Grande river in Texas and administered as a part of Joint Base San Antonio, according to the Air Force. The US officials said the other military zone would be administered as a part of Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Arizona. The zones are intended to allow the Trump administration to use troops to detain migrants without invoking the 1807 Insurrection Act that empowers a president to deploy the US military to suppress events such as civil disorder. As legal deterrents to border crossers, the zones have had mixed results. Federal magistrate judges in New Mexico and Texas dismissed trespassing charges against dozens of migrants caught in the areas on grounds they did not know they were in a restricted military zone. However, some 120 migrants pleaded guilty to trespassing in the first Texas zone in May and federal prosecutors obtained their first two trespassing convictions for the New Mexico zone on June 18, according to US Attorneys' Offices in the two states. Around 11,900 troops are currently on the border. Illegal border crossings fell to a record low in March after the Biden administration shut down asylum claims in 2024 and Mexico tightened immigration controls.
AsiaOne
03-05-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
US military creates new military zone along border with Mexico, World News
WASHINGTON -The US military has created a second military zone along the border with Mexico, adding an area in Texas where troops can temporarily detain migrants or trespassers after another such area was designated in New Mexico last month. President Donald Trump has launched an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign since taking office, increasing troops at the southern border and pledging to deport millions of immigrants in the United States illegally. The Trump administration in April said it designated a 170-square-mile (440 square km) strip along the base of New Mexico as a "National Defence Area." Late on Thursday (May 1), the US military said it had established the "Texas National Defence Area" in a 63 mile-long strip running east from the Texas-New Mexico border in El Paso. US Customs and Border Protection maintains jurisdiction over illegal border crossings in the area and troops would hand over migrants they detained to US Border Patrol or other civilian law enforcement. So far, 82 migrants have been charged for crossing into the New Mexico military zone, according to the state's US Attorney's Office. US troops have not detained any of them and they were dealt with by CBP officials. The zone is intended to allow the Trump administration to use troops to detain migrants without invoking the 1807 Insurrection Act that empowers a president to deploy the US military to suppress events such as civil disorder. Around 11,900 troops are currently on the border. The number of migrants caught crossing illegally in March fell to the lowest level recorded, according to government data. Texas Governor Gregg Abbott, a Republican, on Thursday posted pictures of razor-wire barrier construction, saying "Texas continues to work with the Trump Administration to stop illegal immigration." [[nid:715471]] New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has opposed what she calls a "deportation buffer zone," in a March social media post calling it "a waste of resources and military personnel." The office of New Mexico US Senator Martin Heinrich on Friday said the buffer zone was several miles wide in places, raising concerns for civilians who might accidentally enter it. "It's much further than just the 60-foot Roosevelt Reservation," Heinrich spokeswoman Caty Payette told Source NM, referring to a strip of federal land running along the border.
Malay Mail
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Malay Mail
US military establishes second enforcement zone on Mexico border as Trump ramps up immigration crackdown
WASHINGTON, May 3 — The US military has created a second military zone along the border with Mexico, adding an area in Texas where troops can temporarily detain migrants or trespassers after another such area was designated in New Mexico last month. President Donald Trump has launched an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign since taking office, increasing troops at the southern border and pledging to deport millions of immigrants in the United States illegally. The Trump administration in April said it designated a 170-square-mile (440 square km) strip along the base of New Mexico as a 'National Defence Area.' Late on Thursday, the US military said it had established the 'Texas National Defence Area' in a 63-mile-long (101-km) strip running east from the Texas-New Mexico border in El Paso. US Customs and Border Protection maintains jurisdiction over illegal border crossings in the area and troops would hand over migrants they detained to US Border Patrol or other civilian law enforcement. So far, 82 migrants have been charged for crossing into the New Mexico military zone, according to the state's US Attorney's Office. US troops have not detained any of them and they were dealt with by CBP officials. A drone view of the border between Mexico and the United States as U.S. President Donald Trump completes his first 100 days in office, seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico April 28, 2025. — Reuters pic The zone is intended to allow the Trump administration to use troops to detain migrants without invoking the 1807 Insurrection Act that empowers a president to deploy the US military to suppress events such as civil disorder. Around 11,900 troops are currently on the border. The number of migrants caught crossing illegally in March fell to the lowest level recorded, according to government data. Texas Governor Gregg Abbott, a Republican, on Thursday posted pictures of razor-wire barrier construction, saying 'Texas continues to work with the Trump Administration to stop illegal immigration.' New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has opposed what she calls a 'deportation buffer zone,' in a March social media post calling it 'a waste of resources and military personnel.' The office of New Mexico US Senator Martin Heinrich on Friday said the buffer zone was several miles wide in places, raising concerns for civilians who might accidentally enter it. 'It's much further than just the 60-foot Roosevelt Reservation,' Heinrich spokeswoman Caty Payette told Source NM, referring to a strip of federal land running along the border. — Reuters
Free Malaysia Today
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
US creates new military zone along Mexico border
The zone is for troops to detain migrants without invoking the 1807 Insurrection Act. (EPA Images pic) WASHINGTON : The US military has created a second military zone along the border with Mexico, adding an area in Texas where troops can temporarily detain migrants or trespassers to the one designated in New Mexico last month. President Donald Trump has launched an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign since taking office, increasing troops at the southern border and pledging to deport millions of immigrants in the United States illegally. The Trump administration in April said it designated a 60-foot-wide, 170-mile-long (18 meter by 270 km) strip along the base of New Mexico as a 'National Defence Area.' Late on Thursday, the US military said it had established the 'Texas National Defence Area' in a 63-mile-long strip running east from the Texas-New Mexico border in El Paso. US customs and border protection maintains jurisdiction over illegal border crossings in the area and troops would hand over migrants they detained to US border patrol or other civilian law enforcement, according to the defence department. So far, 82 migrants have been charged for crossing into the New Mexico military zone, according to the state's US attorney's office. US troops have not detained any of them and they were dealt with by CBP officials. The zone is intended to allow the Trump administration to use troops to detain migrants without invoking the 1807 Insurrection Act that empowers a president to deploy the US military to suppress events like civil disorder. Around 11,900 troops are currently on the border. The number of migrants caught crossing illegally in March fell to the lowest level ever recorded, according to government data. Texas governor Gregg Abbott, a Republican, on Thursday posted pictures of razor wire barrier construction on the border, saying 'Texas continues to work with the Trump Administration to stop illegal immigration.' Since 2021, Abbott has deployed the state's National Guard and police to border security. New Mexico governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has opposed what she called a 'deportation buffer zone' in her state. In a March social media post, the Democrat called it 'a waste of resources and military personnel, especially when migrant crossings are at the lowest in decades.'
Straits Times
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
US military creates new military zone along border with Mexico
Texas National Guard soldiers walking near the US-Mexico border wall, as seen from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, in March 2025. PHOTO: REUTERS US military creates new military zone along border with Mexico WASHINGTON - The US military has created a second military zone along the border with Mexico, adding an area in Texas where troops can temporarily detain migrants or trespassers after doing the same in New Mexico. President Donald Trump launched an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign after taking office, increasing troops at the southern border and pledging to deport millions of immigrants in the United States illegally. The Trump administration earlier this month designated a 60-foot-wide (18.3m-wide) strip along a base in New Mexico as a "National Defence Area." Late on May 1, the US military said that it had designated a second area along the border as the "Texas National Defence Area." US Customs and Border Protection maintains jurisdiction over illegal border crossings in the area and troops would hand over migrants they detained to US Border Patrol or other civilian law enforcement, according to the Defence Department. Eighty-two migrants have been charged for crossing into the buffer area. So far, US troops have not detained any and it has been carried out by CBP officials. The buffer zone allows the Trump administration to use troops to detain migrants without invoking the 1807 Insurrection Act that empowers a president to deploy the US military to suppress events like civil disorder. At the start of Trump administration, it had ordered the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security to recommend whether actions, including the Insurrection Act of 1807, would be needed to deal with migrants. A US official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told Reuters that US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth last week had recommended that at this time, the Insurrection Act was not needed. The last time the Insurrection Act was invoked was during the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Around 11,900 troops are currently deployed to the US Southwest border where the number of migrants caught illegally crossing in March fell to the lowest level ever recorded, according to government data. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
