SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The Trump administration is adding another militarized zone to the southern U.S. border to support border security operations — this time in California.
The Department of Interior on Wednesday announced it would transfer jurisdiction along most of California’s international border with Mexico to the Navy to reinforce “the historic role public lands have played in safeguarding national sovereignty.”
The newly designated militarized zone extends from the Arizona state line to the Otay Mountain Wilderness, traversing the Imperial Valley and border communities including Tecate.
Since April, large swaths of the border have been designated militarized zones, empowering U.S. troops to apprehend immigrants and others accused of trespassing on Army, Air Force, or Navy bases, while also authorizing additional criminal charges that can lead to prison time. Over 7,000 troops have been deployed to the border, alongside helicopters, drones, and surveillance equipment.
The military strategy first emerged in April along a 170-mile stretch of the border in New Mexico and was later expanded to portions of Texas and Arizona.
The Interior Department describes the latest national defense area in California as a high-traffic zone for unlawful crossings by immigrants. However, Border Patrol arrests along the southern U.S. border this year have fallen to the slowest pace since the 1960s amid President Trump’s push for mass deportations.
“By collaborating with the Navy to address long-standing security gaps, we are augmenting national defense, protecting public lands from unlawful use, and supporting the President’s agenda,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum stated in a news release.
Amid an emergency declaration by Trump, the military's role has become more prominent in deterring migrant crossings between U.S. ports of entry. Legal experts warn that this strategy could violate a ban on military law enforcement on U.S. soil, potentially politicizing the armed forces' mission.
The new militarized zone was announced as a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to cease deploying the California National Guard in Los Angeles and return control of those troops to the state, following Trump's call-up of over 4,000 troops in June without the approval of Governor Gavin Newsom.
