The Trump administration is exploring a Pentagon-controlled buffer zone along a significant stretch of the U.S.-Mexico border, potentially granting active-duty military personnel the temporary authority to detain individuals crossing illegally, according to sources cited by The Washington Post.
The proposal under review would establish a 60-foot-wide security zone spanning from New Mexico to California within the Roosevelt Reservation, a federally designated border security area established by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1907. Typically managed by the Interior Department, this land has previously been placed under Pentagon authority, including during Trump’s first term, to facilitate border wall construction and other enforcement measures.
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In a broader push for border security, the U.S. Navy is also increasing its presence in the region. Military.com reports that a second guided-missile destroyer is set to patrol waters near the U.S.-Mexico border by the end of the week. This follows the recent deployment of the USS Gravely, which sailed from Naval Weapons Station Yorktown in Virginia. The USS Gravely is armed with advanced defense systems and carries a U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, trained to intercept drug-smuggling vessels and conduct maritime security operations.
This shift signals a heightened military role in domestic security enforcement, as the Trump administration continues to ramp up efforts to restrict illegal crossings and enhance border control infrastructure .
