Washington, D.C. – President Donald Trump has recently authorized the military to take control of land at the US-Mexico border, as part of his administration’s intensified efforts to curb undocumented immigration. This move, outlined in a memorandum to top officials, allows the armed forces to play a more direct role in securing the southern border of the United States.

The memorandum, titled “Military Mission for Sealing the Southern Border of the United States and Repelling Invasions,” empowers the Department of Defense to have jurisdiction over federal lands, including the Roosevelt Reservation spanning across California, Arizona, and New Mexico. This grants troops the legal authority to detain immigrants suspected of trespassing on these lands, holding them in custody until they can be handed over to immigration agents.

Under this authorization, military activities on federal land may include border barrier construction and the placement of detection and monitoring equipment. The defense secretary will assess the initial phase of the order after 45 days, with the possibility of extending the scope of federal land affected by the memorandum.

While the military intervention excludes native reservations from the order, it marks the latest step in President Trump’s immigration enforcement agenda, including the declaration of a national emergency along the southern border. Concurrently, a federal judge ruled on Thursday in favor of the administration’s requirement for non-citizen individuals in the country to register with the federal government, a rule that has seen limited implementation since its enactment in the 1940s.

The Department of Homeland Security’s announcement of this registration requirement on February 25 prompted concerns over the potential violation of the Posse Comitatus Act, a law prohibiting the involvement of US military troops in civilian law enforcement activities. Justifications for militarizing the border often cite concerns over fentanyl trafficking, despite official figures indicating that the majority of fentanyl peddlers convicted in the US are American citizens.

President Trump continues to prioritize immigration enforcement through various measures, reflecting his administration’s stance on border security and undocumented immigration. The memorandum’s provisions underscore the administration’s commitment to addressing perceived threats along the US-Mexico border and ensuring strict enforcement of immigration laws.