On Friday, U.S. President Donald Trump gave the military the authority to take control of a section of public land along the southern border, citing heightened security concerns. Explaining the move, Trump said the current challenges at the border are more complex than in the past and demand a more active role from the military. A memo from the White House directed the Secretaries of Defense, Interior, Agriculture, and Homeland Security to hand over control of certain federal lands near the border to the Department of Defense.

The order states that the military will build the border wall and set up detection and monitoring systems. At the same time, the military's role is kept deliberately vague, described as actions considered "reasonably necessary and appropriate to accomplish the mission."

The memorandum highlights the Roosevelt Reservation, which spans across California, Arizona and New Mexico, and instructs Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to begin military operations in phases on designated sections of public land. However, he also has the authority to expand these activities to other public lands along the border if needed. This directive follows a report from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who told the cabinet that illegal border crossings have dropped sharply, with February marking the second straight month of historically low numbers at the southern border.

Since taking office, President Trump has prioritised border security. His administration swiftly issued several executive orders to overhaul immigration and border enforcement policies. One of his initial actions was declaring a national emergency at the southern border on his first day in office. Furthermore, government data from March showed a significant drop in illegal border crossings, hitting their lowest point in at least 25 years during his first entire month in office.