Interior Secretary, Doug Burgum, visited New Mexico on Tuesday to announce that the US Army will take control of almost 1100,000 federal lands along the border between the United States and Mexico, the last attempt to curb illegal immigration and traffic.
The 109,651 acres of federal lands will be transferred to the Army for three years, subject to existing valid rights, in accordance with a declaration from the Department of Interior of the United States.
The measure occurs after President Donald Trump signed a memorandum last week, “military mission to seal the southern border of the United States and repel invasions”, adding to the Secretary of Defense, Interior, Agriculture and National Security to take control and “Realsonía de la Real
The change in jurisdiction will allow the government to protect sensitive natural and cultural resources in the region, while helping the army to support the operations of the border patrol of the United States to ensure the border and prevent illegal immigration, according to the Department of the Interior.
The Navy displays another warship of Houthi’s fights to the new mission of the southern border of the USA.
A group of 100 migrants tried to enter the US illegally on Thursday, March 21, 2024. (James Breeden for New York Post/Mega)
“Ensure our border and protect our nation’s resources go hand in hand,” Burgum said in the statement. “The American people gave President Trump a mandate to make the United States again and strongly again. “
Burgum said the change reflects the interior commitment to public security, national security and the responsible administration of public lands.
Migrants on the southern border of Arizona. (Border patrol of the United States)
Trump orders the military to take control or federal lands on the southern border
The Army required the transfer in “an emergency base”, so regular patrols could increase by federal staff.
Trump declared a national emergency earlier this year along the southern border.
The army can also build infrastructure to prevent illegal immigrants, people traffickers and narcotics from crossing the border.
Customs agents and border protection of the United States of the Haullton Crosser illegal sector Border Border Crosser in March 2025. (Customs and border protection of the USA)
The department pointed out that the crisis along the border is not limited to national security and the controllers of the law, but also “presents an environmental crisis.”
Almost two boxes endangered species of federal extinction live in the region, which was previously administered by the Land Administration Office.
The region also contains cultural sites ranging from small dispersed of artifacts to large multirometic peoples, which could be harmed by repeated pedestrian traffic, the unregulated use of the vehicle and the creation of paths or informal camps, according to the declaration.
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Illegal high traffic crosses could lead to soil erosion, damage to fragile desert vegetation and critical habitat of wildlife, loss and damage to cultural resources, increased fire risk and garbage pollution and human waste.
The department acknowledged that some of the lands transferred to the army are essential for the livelihoods of local communities and said that the land management office will work with the Army to ensure that “some” uses continue to support local gaze and mining.