The Trump administration is adding muscle to its already successful immigration crackdown—this time from the Pentagon. On Wednesday, the Department of Defense announced the creation of a sweeping new “National Defense Area” (NDA) stretching 250 miles along the Rio Grande in southern Texas. The zone, which runs through Cameron and Hidalgo counties, will be patrolled by members of the Joint Task Force–Southern Border, operating under U.S. Northern Command (USNORTHCOM).

The military presence is not symbolic. Although these forces will not perform law enforcement duties, they are empowered to detain illegal crossers and hand them over to Border Patrol. Temporary barriers and signs are being erected along the stretch, with the entire operation managed by Joint Base San Antonio after the land was transferred from the International Boundary and Water Commission.

This is just the latest in a growing network of defense zones. A 170-mile NDA was created in New Mexico in April and another 63-mile stretch in West Texas in May. According to ABC News, a fourth 100-mile zone in Arizona is also in the works, bringing the total to over 580 miles of military-controlled terrain along the southern border.

Despite the increased military involvement, illegal border crossings are at historic lows. Between June 1 and June 22, only 5,414 apprehensions were recorded, with just 986 known “gotaways.” Compare that to May 2024, when 118,000 people crossed under the Biden administration. The drop-off is striking—especially considering that in 2023, as many as 10,000 migrants crossed per day.

Border czar Tom Homan confirmed that not a single illegal migrant was released into the U.S. in May. Gotaway numbers have also plummeted to just 46 per day, down from a peak of 1,833 daily under Biden.

The military zones are part of a broader effort to maintain control as the Trump administration tightens the screws on illegal immigration. While critics have raised legal concerns—98 migrants arrested in New Mexico had their trespassing charges thrown out because they didn’t know they were in a military zone—the administration is clearly prepared to fight back. In fact, the White House has already sued federal judges in Maryland for blocking deportations.

The Pentagon, meanwhile, is pitching the expansion as a matter of national security. “These efforts reflect USNORTHCOM’s ongoing mission as the DoD’s operational lead for homeland defense,” the Air Force said in a statement. “We’re ensuring the territorial integrity of the United States’ southern border.”

President Trump has made immigration a centerpiece of his second-term agenda, tying the success of border security to broader domestic policy wins. With the “Big Beautiful Bill” poised for a July 4th signing and border apprehensions plummeting, the administration is aggressively asserting executive authority—through the courts, through legislation, and now, through the military.

Whether the strategy holds up legally is still an open question. But for now, the numbers speak for themselves: illegal crossings are at record lows, enforcement is stronger than ever, and the southern border looks more fortified than it has in decades.