Press Release
New Criminal Charges for Immigrants Detained in New Mexico Border Zone
SANTA FE, N.M. — Recent policy changes have introduced a novel criminal charge against immigrants detained in southern New Mexico, where a 170-mile strip along the U.S. border has been designated as a national defense area. The U.S. Army now oversees this zone, which extends protections related to U.S. Army Garrison Fort Huachuca in Arizona, in collaboration with immigration authorities.
Federal prosecutors have initiated charges against migrants for unauthorized entry into this military-controlled territory, as military personnel bolster their presence along the border. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stated that any individual trespassing in this zone would be met with military and Border Patrol intervention.
Concerns have been raised regarding the implications of this militarization. ACLU attorney Rebecca Sheff warned of potential violations of constitutional protections against military policing of civilians, noting that residents living near the border could also face prosecution under these new provisions.
The Roosevelt Reservation, a federal buffer zone, was transferred from the Interior to the Defense Department earlier this month, allowing for increased surveillance and fortification of barriers along the border. The subsequent troop deployments mark a significant shift in border policing dynamics.
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