Trump authorizes military to take control of federal land along US southern border
CNNAPR 11
Trump Orders Military Control of Border Land to Curb Migration
Above: Razor wire lines the U.S.-Mexico border fence in Douglas, Arizona, on April 3, 2025. Image copyright: DAVID SWANSON/Contributor/AFP via Getty Images
The Spin
Republican narrative
The transfer of federal land along the southern border to the military is a necessary step to combat illegal immigration, drug trafficking, and urgent national security threats. The designation of these areas as military installations will enable more effective border control and help prevent the entry of dangerous narcotics like fentanyl into American communities.
Left narrative
This initiative represents a concerning attempt to circumvent federal law and militarize the border region. It is a policy that treats the desperate migrants not as human beings seeking refuge but as enemy combatants and very likely falls foul of the Posse Comitatus Act, which forbids the use of the military in policing roles within the United States.