May 3, 2025: The U.S. military has announced the creation of a second “National Defense Area” along the southern border, extending its footprint into Texas as part of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement efforts. This move follows a similar designation in New Mexico last month.
On Thursday, the Pentagon revealed the formation of the “Texas National Defense Area,” a 63-mile-long corridor beginning at the Texas-New Mexico border in El Paso. This zone allows troops to temporarily detain individuals — including migrants and trespassers — until they can be transferred to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) or other law enforcement agencies.
This development builds on April’s announcement of a 170-square-mile military zone along the base of New Mexico, intended to support the government’s push to curb illegal immigration without invoking the 1807 Insurrection Act. The Act allows military deployment for civil unrest but has not been triggered in this context.
The Trump administration’s approach has involved increasing the number of active-duty troops along the U.S.-Mexico border, currently totaling approximately 11,900 personnel. While CBP retains primary jurisdiction over illegal crossings, the newly designated zones are intended to provide logistical and legal support for detaining migrants.
In New Mexico, 82 migrants have been charged for crossing into the military zone, although none were detained by military personnel. All were processed by CBP officials.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott praised the move, sharing images of newly installed razor-wire fencing and stating that the state remains committed to “working with the Trump Administration to stop illegal immigration.”
However, not all leaders support the new military zones. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has publicly opposed what she terms a “deportation buffer zone,” calling it a misuse of federal resources and military manpower.
U.S. Senator Martin Heinrich’s office has also voiced concern. His spokeswoman, Caty Payette, noted that the New Mexico defense area spans several miles in some locations, significantly beyond the 60-foot-wide Roosevelt Reservation — a longstanding federal strip along the border — and could pose a risk to civilians who might unintentionally enter the zone.
The announcement comes amid reports that illegal border crossings dropped to a record low in March, according to government data, suggesting that the administration’s stringent tactics may be influencing migrant activity.