Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has warned that any illegal immigrant attempting to enter that zone ‘is entering a military base.’
The United States has begun prosecuting illegal immigrants for allegedly crossing into a restricted military zone along the U.S.–Mexico border, according to court filings filed on April 28.
Some 28 illegal immigrants have been charged with illegal entry and “violations of security regulations” for entering a “restricted and controlled” New Mexico national defense area, according to the court filings.
The newly created military zone includes the Roosevelt Reservation, a 60-foot-wide corridor owned by the federal government running along the border in California, Arizona, and New Mexico.
The Interior Department transferred control of nearly 110,000 acres of federal land along the border to the Army on April 15, granting the military control of the border zone for three years.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth warned last week that any unauthorized attempt to enter the national defense area, formerly known as the Fort Huachuca annex zone, would lead to an arrest.
“Any illegal attempting to enter that zone is entering a military base—a federal, protected area,” he said in a video message on April 25 during his visit to the area. “You will be detained. You will be interdicted by U.S. troops and Border Patrol working together.”
Hegseth said that this marked only the first phase, as the Defense Department plans to expand military zones along the U.S. border to further strengthen border security.
“If you have attempted to evade, that’s evading law enforcement, just like you would any other military base. You add up the charges of what you can be charged with misdemeanors and felonies, you can be looking at up to 10 years in prison when prosecuted,” he added.
Customs and Border Protection maintains jurisdiction over illegal border crossings in the area and troops will hand over illegal immigrants they detain to Border Patrol agents, according to the Defense Department.
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of New Mexico has voiced concerns over the creation of a militarized buffer zone, calling it a “dangerous erosion of the constitutional principle.”
