It allows soldiers to arrest and detain migrants, a role that has legally been the purview of law enforcement
President Donald Trump sent a memorandum to four federal department heads yesterday with instructions to allow the military to take control of federal lands along the U.S.-Mexico border. The move is part of a broader effort to crack down on undocumented immigration.
“Our southern border is under attack from a variety of threats,” a presidential memorandum posted Friday night claims. “The complexity of the current situation requires that our military take a more direct role in securing our southern border than in the recent past.”
The memo was sent to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Agricultural Secretary Brooke Rollins.
