SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The Trump administration is adding another militarized zone to the southern U.S. border to support border security operations — this time in California.
The Department of Interior on Wednesday said it would transfer jurisdiction along most of California’s international border with Mexico to the Navy to reinforce 'the historic role public lands have played in safeguarding national sovereignty.'
The newly designated militarized zone extends nearly from the Arizona state line to the Otay Mountain Wilderness, traversing the Imperial Valley and border communities including Tecate.
Since April, large swaths of border have been designated militarized zones, empowering U.S. troops to apprehend immigrants and others accused of trespassing on Army, Air Force, or Navy bases, and authorizing additional criminal charges that can lead to prison time. More than 7,000 troops have been deployed to the border alongside helicopters, drones, and surveillance equipment.
The military strategy was pioneered in April along a 170-mile (275-kilometer) stretch of the border in New Mexico and later expanded to portions of the border in Texas and Arizona.
The Interior Department described the newest national defense area in California as a high-traffic zone for unlawful crossings by immigrants. However, Border Patrol arrests along the southern U.S. border this year have dropped to the slowest pace since the 1960s, amid President Donald Trump’s push for mass deportations.
“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 news release.
An emergency declaration by Trump has thrust the military into a central role in deterring migrant crossings between U.S. ports of entry. Legal experts argue that this strategy may violate laws prohibiting military involvement in law enforcement on U.S. soil and could politicize military operations.
The announcement of the new militarized zone coincides with a federal judge's order to halt the deployment of California National Guard troops in Los Angeles, which had been called up by Trump without state approval as part of his immigration enforcement efforts.
