Pentagon Establishes Two New Military Zones in Texas and Arizona, Expanding to Four National Defense Areas with 17-Mile Rio Grande Barrier

The U.S. Department of Defense is expanding its militarized presence along the southern border with Mexico by establishing two new National Defense Areas in Texas and Arizona. These zones will be attached to existing military installations, including an extension of the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma, Arizona. The new buffer zones authorize U.S.

military personnel to temporarily detain undocumented migrants for trespassing on federal land designated as national defense areas. This expansion brings the total number of such zones to four, covering nearly one-third of the U.S.-Mexico border. The move is part of the Trump administration's broader effort to militarize the border and enhance enforcement capabilities despite a decline in migrant crossings. Concurrently, the Department of Homeland Security has approved the installation of a 17-mile floating barrier of buoys in the Rio Grande River in Cameron County, South Texas, aimed at deterring illegal crossings through waterways. These developments reflect an increased federal emphasis on border security through military and physical barriers, with troops empowered to arrest individuals crossing illegally and facilitate criminal trespassing prosecutions.