U.S. Troops Detain Migrants in New Military Border Zones Under Trump Directive

U.S. troops have detained migrants for the first time inside newly established military zones along the U.S.-Mexico border, marking a significant escalation in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. The detentions occurred in New Mexico near Santa Teresa on June 3, where three undocumented migrants were apprehended by military personnel before being transferred to U.S. Border Patrol, according to Army spokesperson Major Geoffrey Carmichael.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently designated 260 miles of border territory in New Mexico and Texas as extensions of U.S. Army bases. This legal move allows federal troops to temporarily detain civilians, conduct searches, and manage crowd control without invoking the Insurrection Act, a law permitting domestic deployment of the military in emergencies.

While past administrations used troops in supportive roles such as surveillance and infrastructure, President Trump expanded military authority by granting detention powers within these National Defense Areas. Since their establishment, troops have detected around 390 instances of illegal border crossings, the Army reported.

Despite these measures, legal challenges have emerged. Courts in New Mexico and Texas have dismissed several trespassing charges, with one judge acquitting a Peruvian woman on the grounds that she was unaware she had entered a restricted military area.

The news of the border detentions comes as President Trump also ordered the deployment of state-based National Guard troops to Los Angeles amid protests over aggressive immigration raids. The use of active-duty forces in both border and domestic operations underscores Trump’s hardline stance on immigration enforcement ahead of the 2026 election season.

This development raises concerns about civil liberties and the precedent set by using military authority for immigration control, signaling an increasingly militarized approach to U.S. border security.