Background on the Issue
In a recent development, the Pentagon announced the creation of two new military zones along the US-Mexico border, according to US officials. This move allows troops to temporarily detain migrants or intruders.
Context and Relevance
This decision comes under the administration of President Donald Trump, who has taken several measures along the border, including deploying active-duty troops. The president has attributed a significant decrease in undocumented migrant crossings to these actions, leveraging immigration concerns as a cornerstone of his 2024 re-election campaign.
Currently, the Pentagon has established two military zones, but only four individuals have been temporarily detained in them, according to an official.
Details of the New Zones
A new “National Defense Zone” will cover approximately 402 kilometers along the Rio Grande in Texas and will be managed as part of the Joint Base San Antonio.
Another military zone will be administered as part of the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Arizona.
Purpose and Legal Implications
These zones aim to enable the federal government to utilize troops for detaining migrants without invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807, which empowers a president to deploy the military to suppress civil unrest.
Legally, these zones have yielded mixed results as deterrent measures for border crossers. Federal judges in New Mexico and Texas dismissed trespassing charges against numerous immigrants caught in the zones, citing their lack of awareness that they were entering a restricted military area. Immigrants will need to be more informed moving forward.
However, around 120 migrants pleaded guilty to illegal entry in the first Texas zone in May, and federal prosecutors secured their two initial convictions for illegal entry in the New Mexico zone on June 18, according to both states’ prosecutors.
Current Troop Deployment
Approximately 11,900 personnel are currently stationed along the border.
Key Questions and Answers
- What is the purpose of these new military zones? These zones aim to allow the federal government to use troops for detaining migrants without invoking the Insurrection Act of 1807.
- How many individuals have been temporarily detained in existing military zones? Only four individuals have been temporarily detained in the two existing military zones.
- What legal implications have these zones had for border crossers? Federal judges in New Mexico and Texas dismissed trespassing charges against numerous immigrants caught in the zones, citing their lack of awareness that they were entering a restricted military area. However, some migrants have been successfully prosecuted for illegal entry.
- How many personnel are currently deployed along the US-Mexico border? Approximately 11,900 personnel are currently stationed along the border.
