Military members have been given additional authorities that include the ability to detain illegal immigrants in the New Mexico National Defense Area.
This area spans 170 square miles, located along the border between New Mexico and Mexico.
U.S. Northern Command service members, which is part of the Joint Task Force-Southern Border, can now temporarily hold illegal immigrants until the appropriate law enforcement can assume custody.
Additionally, service members will be able to conduct searches for illegal immigrants, use crowd control measures, provide emergency medical support, and set up temporary barriers.
“Through these enhanced authorities, U.S. Northern Command will ensure those who illegally trespass in the New Mexico National Defense Area are handed over to Customs and Border Protection or our other law enforcement partners,” said Gen. Gregory Guillot, commander, U.S. Northern Command.
“Joint Task Force-Southern Border will conduct enhanced detection and monitoring, which will include vehicle and foot patrols, rotary wing, and fixed surveillance site operations,” he added.
Last month, the Department of Defense (DOD) gave the joint task force the ability to patrol the southern border.
“Enhanced detection and monitoring authorities enable units assigned to U.S. Northern Command’s southern border mission to detect, track, and monitor suspected illegal activity with increased mobility and flexibility and with advanced optical sensors,” Guillot said in March.
President Donald Trump signed a memorandum this month that allowed the DOD to take control of land jurisdictions from other federal agencies.
“Our southern border is under attack from a variety of threats. The complexity of the current situation requires that our military take a more direct role in securing our southern border than in the recent past,” the president said.
During Trump’s time in office, illegal immigrant encounters along the southern border have plummeted. In February and March, the United States only encountered 15,527 illegal immigrants.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at zschmidt1717@gmail.com. Follow Zachery on Twitter @zacheryschmidt2.
