Trump Administration Reviews Plan for Military-Controlled Border Buffer Zone

The proposal would allow U.S. troops to temporarily hold migrants in a 60-foot-wide zone, raising legal and logistical questions.

The Trump administration is considering creating a military-controlled buffer zone along the U.S.-Mexico border to enhance immigration enforcement.
The proposed zone would be 60 feet wide, spanning from New Mexico to California, within the federally designated Roosevelt Reservation.
Active-duty troops would temporarily hold migrants crossing illegally until law enforcement arrives, circumventing restrictions under the Posse Comitatus Act.
Officials are carefully wording the plan to avoid legal challenges, emphasizing that troops would 'hold' rather than 'detain' migrants.
President Trump has not yet approved the plan, which aligns with his broader immigration crackdown and follows a significant reduction in illegal crossings since January.