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The Trump administration, in a significant border security measure, has officially transferred 109,651 acres of federal land located along the U.S.-Mexico border in New Mexico to the United States Department of the Army.
The transfer, which is set to last for a period of three years, is part of the government’s broader efforts to enhance national security and manage illegal activities along the southern border.
This development comes in the wake of President Donald Trump’s national emergency declaration regarding the southern border, which was announced in February 2019. The emergency order enabled the administration to divert federal resources, including military assets and funding, toward strengthening security infrastructure and operations in high-risk border regions.
According to official sources, the transferred land will be placed under the operational control of the Department of the Army and will be used to support U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Border Patrol operations. The land will allow for increased military presence, surveillance activities, equipment staging, patrol routes, and temporary infrastructure setup designed to prevent illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and other cross-border crimes.
The U.S. Army is expected to work alongside the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Customs and Border Protection to establish secure operational zones within the area. These measures are intended to improve law enforcement capabilities, ease access to remote regions, and ensure rapid response to border-related incidents.
Despite the military takeover, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has confirmed that local grazing, mining, and other permitted land uses will continue under established agreements. The BLM will collaborate with the Army to manage any overlapping responsibilities and address issues that may arise during the period of military control.
Local stakeholders, including ranchers, miners, and community representatives, have been assured that their activities will not be interrupted or restricted as a result of this decision.
This land transfer represents one of several actions taken by the Trump administration aimed at reinforcing the U.S. southern border. In recent years, the region has faced increasing challenges related to illegal border crossings, drug smuggling, human trafficking, and organized crime. Federal authorities have emphasized the need for enhanced physical barriers, advanced surveillance technologies, and increased personnel deployment to effectively manage these security concerns.
The emergency declaration issued by President Trump has been a controversial subject, drawing both support and criticism from lawmakers, advocacy groups, and legal experts. While supporters argue that it addresses urgent national security threats, opponents have raised concerns about the use of military resources and the implications for federal land management and local communities.
Under the emergency authorization, the Department of Defense has been providing logistical, engineering, and operational support to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Troops have been deployed to assist with barrier construction, surveillance operations, and infrastructure development in key areas along the border, particularly in states like Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico.
The 109,651 acres of land now under Army control will serve as a strategic asset in these operations, providing necessary space for movement, equipment storage, and tactical operations near the border.
The Trump administration maintained that these actions were necessary to restore order at the southern border and uphold U.S. sovereignty. Officials have stated that the transfer of land to the Army will improve security coordination, enhance operational capacity, and support the broader mission to combat illegal immigration and transnational crime.
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The military’s use of the land is scheduled to end after three years, unless extended or modified by a subsequent administration. In the meantime, federal agencies will continue to monitor the situation, assess security needs, and determine whether additional measures or resources are required in the region.
The land transfer marks a notable chapter in the evolving U.S. border security strategy — one that combines civilian law enforcement with military support to address increasingly complex security challenges along the southern border.
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