Trump Admin Gives U.S. Army Control of Federal Land Along US-Mexico Border for Security

by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) – The Interior Department will transfer nearly 110,000 acres of federal land along the U.S.-Mexico border to the U.S. Army, creating a new base where troops could detain trespassers, including migrants, as part of President Trump’s border security push, which aims to deter illegal crossings.

The Trump administration’s move to place the border zone under Army control aims to bypass a federal law that bars U.S. troops from domestic law enforcement.

“Securing our border and protecting our nation’s resources go hand in hand,” said Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum. “The American people gave President Trump a mandate to make America safe and strong again. This transfer reflects Interior’s commitment to public safety, national security, and responsible stewardship of our public lands.”

Burgum announced the emergency land transfer on April 15 during a visit to New Mexico, granting the Army three years of control over the border zone, according to the Interior Department.

The Roosevelt Reservation, a 60-foot-wide federal buffer zone stretching along the border from New Mexico to California, excluding tribal and private lands, was previously managed by the Interior Department. However, under a presidential memo issued by Trump on Friday night, control was shifted to the Defense Department.

The Interior Department acknowledged that some of the transferred land is vital to local communities. It said the Bureau of Land Management will coordinate with the Army to ensure continued support for activities like grazing and mining.

Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.

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