Photo: Alamy
The Trump administration on Wednesday unveiled plans to establish another militarized zone along the U.S. southern border, this time across major sections of California, marking a significant expansion of the military’s role in border enforcement.
The Department of the Interior said it will transfer jurisdiction over most of California’s boundary with Mexico to the Navy, describing the move as part of an effort to reinforce “the historic role public lands have played in safeguarding national sovereignty.” Officials said the area is a high-traffic corridor for unlawful border crossings.
The designation places vast portions of the border under the oversight of nearby military installations and authorizes U.S. troops to detain people who enter the country illegally. It also allows the administration to sidestep longstanding restrictions on military involvement in domestic law enforcement under the president’s border emergency declaration issued on his first day in office.
Similar national defense areas were first created in April along a 170-mile stretch of the border in New Mexico, later extending into regions of Texas and Arizona.
The new California zone runs from the Arizona state line to the Otay Mountain Wilderness, covering the Imperial Valley and communities such as Tecate, California, which sits across from its Mexican counterpart.
More than 7,000 troops are currently deployed to the southern border, supported by helicopters, drones and surveillance systems. Under the designation, immigrants and others accused of trespassing on military property can be apprehended by Armed Forces personnel and may face additional federal charges.
U.S. officials say the military zones are needed to seal enforcement gaps and disrupt human smuggling and drug cartel operations.
“By working with the Navy to close long-standing security gaps, we are strengthening national defense, protecting our public lands from unlawful use, and advancing the President’s agenda,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in a statement.
The announcement came the same day a federal judge ordered the administration to return control of California National Guard troops to the state. California sued after President Donald Trump activated more than 4,000 Guard members in June without Gov. Gavin Newsom’s approval to support immigration enforcement.
