The Trump administration is reportedly developing a plan to create a militarized buffer zone along the southern border in New Mexico, fulfilling a long-standing conservative demand to deploy active-duty U.S. troops to detain migrants who cross into the country unlawfully. According to the Washington Post, internal discussions have focused on transforming a section of the border into a military installation, granting soldiers the legal authority to detain migrants who “trespass” on the base.
The proposed plan appears to be an attempt to circumvent the Posse Comitatus Act, a federal law that prohibits the use of military personnel for most domestic law enforcement activities. By designating the border area as a military installation, the administration aims to provide a legal basis for troops to detain unauthorized migrants until they can be transferred to immigration authorities.
Calls to militarize the southern border are not new, but they have largely remained in the realm of political rhetoric. In 2022, Blake Masters, a failed Arizona Senate candidate backed by billionaire Peter Thiel, ran a campaign ad promising to “militarize the border.” Similarly, in 2018, Trump announced during a White House meeting with then-Defense Secretary Jim Mattis that the U.S. military would guard the southern border. However, the proposal was never implemented on a large scale.
At the time, Mattis defended the limited deployment of troops to the border, stating, “We don’t do stunts in this department.” His successor, Mark Esper, revealed in his memoir that Trump had asked him in 2020 to deploy 10,000 active-duty troops to Washington, D.C., and open fire on protesters following the murder of George Floyd. Esper refused the request, which would have violated the Posse Comitatus Act.
A key difference in 2025 is that Trump’s current defense secretary, a former weekend TV host with no military background, is seen as less likely to object to such a plan compared to former generals like Mattis and Esper. This shift has raised concerns about the potential for increased militarization of domestic law enforcement under the current administration.
The proposed militarized border zone in New Mexico represents a significant escalation in the administration’s efforts to curb unauthorized migration. Critics argue that the plan could undermine civil liberties and further strain military resources. As the administration moves forward with its planning, the proposal is likely to face legal and political challenges.
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