Trump authorizes military to take control of federal land along southern border

President Trump issued a memorandum Friday authorizing the military to take control of federal lands along the southern border to combat illegal immigration and drug smuggling. 

“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,” Trump wrote in the memo issued to Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Agricultural Secretary Brooke Rollins.

Trump directed his Cabinet members to “take all appropriate actions” to “provide for the use and jurisdiction by the Department of Defense” over federal lands “that are reasonably necessary to enable military activities directed in this memorandum.” 

The president listed “border-barrier construction and emplacement of detection and monitoring equipment” as the activities that the military will engage in along the US-Mexico border but later noted that Hegseth “may determine those military activities that are reasonably necessary and appropriate to accomplish the mission assigned.” 

The mission is to “defend the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of the US, as detailed in Trump’s Day One executive order on border security. 

Trump’s memo allows the military to operate on the Roosevelt Reservation –  a 60-foot wide strip of land along the southern border that extends from California to Texas –  but excludes federal Native American reservations.  

“In carrying out activities under this memorandum, members of the Armed Forces will follow rules for the use of force prescribed by the Secretary of Defense,” the memo states. 

Trump further directed Hegseth to take all steps necessary to “protect and maintain” the areas where troops will be present as if they were “military installations,” including by restricting access to those areas.  

Under the “phased implementation” of the land takeover, the Trump administration will “initially implement this memorandum on a limited sector of Federal lands designated by the Secretary of Defense,” according to the memo. 

“Within 45 days of the date of this memorandum, the Secretary of Defense shall assess this initial phase,” the directive continues.

“At any time, the Secretary of Defense may extend activities under this memorandum to additional Federal lands along the southern border in coordination with the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Assistant to the President and Homeland Security Advisor, and other executive departments and agencies as appropriate.”