The Pentagon announced Wednesday the creation of a 250-mile military buffer zone along the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas, as illegal crossings continue to decline dramatically. The area, designated a National Defense Area (NDA), stretches through Cameron and Hidalgo counties and will be overseen by Joint Task Force-Southern Border under U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM).

While military personnel will not perform law enforcement duties, they are authorized to detain individuals and hand them over to Border Patrol. Temporary barriers and signage are being installed throughout the zone.

Third Major Buffer Zone Established This Year

This new Texas NDA follows two other recent military zones: a 170-mile area in New Mexico linked to Fort Huachuca, and a 63-mile zone in West Texas tied to Fort Bliss. Combined, these defense areas now span over 480 miles along the southern border. An additional 100-mile zone is reportedly planned for Arizona.

“These efforts reflect USNORTHCOM’s ongoing mission as the DoD’s operational lead for homeland defense, ensuring the territorial integrity of the United States’ southern border,” the U.S. Air Force stated.

The Texas zone was established on land transferred from the International Boundary and Water Commission and will be administered by Joint Base San Antonio.

Record Drop in Border Crossings

Illegal border crossings have plummeted since President Donald Trump took office. From June 1 to June 22, U.S. authorities recorded just 5,414 apprehensions and 986 “gotaways”—both record lows. May saw fewer than 9,000 apprehensions, compared to around 118,000 the previous May under the Biden administration.

In 2023, crossings had reached peaks of 10,000 per day, fueled in part by the CBP One app asylum process. Today, the average number of gotaways stands at just 46 per day, a steep decline from 1,833 daily in 2023.

Legal Challenges and Dismissed Charges

Despite the security expansion, enforcement has faced hurdles. A federal judge recently dismissed trespassing charges against 98 migrants arrested in the New Mexico NDA, ruling they were unaware they were on restricted military land.