• The U.S. military has created a second National Defense Area along the Texas border with Mexico.
• This zone enables the detention of migrants by troops until they are handed over to law enforcement.
• The action follows a similar military zone established in New Mexico just last month.
• President Trump's administration has intensified border military presence amid declining illegal crossings.

The Pentagon announced the establishment of a second military zone along the southwestern border, specifically a 63-mile-long strip in Texas connected to Fort Bliss near El Paso. This follows the creation of a similar zone in New Mexico last month. In these designated areas, military personnel are authorized to detain migrants crossing illegally until U.S. Department of Homeland Security officials can take control, as confirmed by Gen. Gregory Guillot, head of Northern Command, who stated, "The establishment of a second National Defense Area increases our operational reach and effectiveness in denying illegal activity along the southern border" according to NY Times and India Times.

Under the new directives, individuals who cross into these military zones can be charged with illegal U.S. entry as well as trespassing on military property. Reports indicate that as of now, 82 migrants have already faced charges for trespassing into the New Mexico zone since it was established, highlighting the ongoing enforcement efforts of the Trump administration, which has deployed approximately 11,900 troops to the border according to Reuters and Al Jazeera.

Notably, the establishment of these zones allows the military to operate without being confined by the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, which limits military involvement in civilian law enforcement. The new Texas zone parallels the 270-kilometer area declared in New Mexico, and together they represent a significant shift toward militarizing U.S. border policy amid what officials describe as the lowest levels of illegal crossings in decades. Texas Governor Gregg Abbott has supported these initiatives, asserting the state's intent to strengthen border security, while New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham condemned the zones as a "deportation buffer" and criticized their need based on current crossing data according to NY Times, India Times, Reuters, and Al Jazeera.