Trump Admin Hands Control of Federal Land Along US–Mexico Border to Army

The U.S. Army will take control of federal land along the southern border for the next three years, according to the Interior Department.

U.S. soldiers monitor a known border crossing point along the Rio Grande River in Brownsville, Texas, on Feb. 25, 2025. Sgt. 1st Class Andrew Sveen/U.S. Army

The Interior Department announced on April 15 that it will hand over control of nearly 110,000 acres of federal land along the U.S.–Mexico border to the Army in an effort to deter illegal border crossings.

Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced the emergency transfer during his visit to New Mexico on April 15, granting the Army control of the border zone for three years, according to the department’s statement.

The transfer of administrative jurisdiction of these lands, the department said, is intended to help the government protect sensitive natural and cultural resources in the region while enabling the Army to support U.S. Border Patrol operations in securing the border.

“Securing our border and protecting our nation’s resources go hand in hand,” Burgum said in the statement. “The American people gave President Trump a mandate to make America safe and strong again.”

The department stated that the Army had requested the transfer on “an emergency basis” to allow for an increase in regular patrols by federal personnel and to enable the construction of infrastructure aimed at curbing illegal entry into the country.

It added that the transfer would enable “military engagement” to prevent illegal activity in “ecologically sensitive areas” and help the Border Patrol build border security infrastructure without delays or conflicts over land use.

The department acknowledged that some of the land transferred is vital to the livelihoods of local communities and provided assurance that the Bureau of Land Management will work with the Army to ensure that “some uses” of the land, such as local grazing and mining, could continue.

The transfer follows a memorandum issued by President Donald Trump on April 11 that authorizes the military to take control of the land to curb illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

“Our southern border is under attack from a variety of threats,” Trump wrote in the April 11 memo. “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 memo does not apply to Native American reservations but does extend to the Roosevelt Reservation, a 60-foot-wide corridor owned by the federal government running along the U.S.–Mexico border in California, Arizona, and New Mexico.

Trump also authorized Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to treat areas where troops are deployed as military installations, granting him the authority to protect those zones and restrict access as necessary.

Trump declared a national emergency at the southern border after taking office on Jan. 20, directing the deployment of armed forces to assist with border security efforts.

Under the declaration, Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem were ordered to take “all appropriate action” to construct more physical barriers along the U.S.–Mexico border.

Following that order, Noem issued a waiver on April 8 enabling the immediate construction of 2.5 miles of border barrier in California, marking the first environmental waiver of Trump’s second term.

The waiver, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said, would help “clear the path for the rapid deployment of physical barriers where they are needed most” near the border between the United States and Mexico.

“To cut through bureaucratic delays, DHS is waiving environmental laws—including the National Environmental Policy Act—that can stall vital projects for months or even years,” it stated.

Trump has signed several executive actions aimed at deterring illegal immigration, including directives to end the catch and release of illegal immigrants, designate criminal cartels as global terrorist organizations, end refugee resettlement and automatic birthright citizenship, and enhance the vetting process for immigrants.

In the first 50 days of the Trump administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement made about 32,809 arrests, which almost equaled the total arrests made in fiscal year 2024, according to the DHS.

Bill Pan and Darlene McCormick Sanchez contributed to this report.