The Department of Defense is establishing two new military zones along the U.S.-Mexico border to support enforcement efforts against illegal border crossings.
The initiative marks the latest step in the Trump administration’s strategy to enhance military involvement in border security operations, amid a notable decline in illegal migrant crossings in recent months.
The two new areas, designated as National Defense Areas, will be located in Arizona and Texas. The Arizona zone will become an extension of the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, while the Texas zone will be integrated into Joint Base San Antonio. These zones will allow U.S. troops to detain people crossing into these secured areas temporarily until Border Patrol agents take the migrants into custody.
The announcement follows the recent establishment of two similar zones along other stretches of the border. The military designated a 63-mile-long area in southern Texas as part of Fort Bliss near El Paso. And back in April, a 60-foot-wide corridor spanning 200 miles along the New Mexico border was incorporated into an existing military installation.
Together, these developments underscore an expanding defense perimeter now encompassing four new military-controlled border areas.
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The move is part of a broader mobilization under Joint Task Force-Southern Border, a military initiative directed by the DOD’s Northern Command. Roughly 9,000 active-duty personnel have been deployed to the region in compliance with a directive issued by President Donald Trump. These forces include combat troops from the Fourth Infantry Division, based at Fort Carson in Colorado, supported by aerial surveillance assets and naval forces stationed offshore.
While the increase in military assets comes amid declining rates of illegal crossings, officials suggest the expanded presence is intended to deter future attempts and reinforce existing border infrastructure.