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Turning Land into a Military Zone
Burgum explained on Newsmax that Trump is transferring roughly 760 acres of California border land to the Navy for three years, designating it a National Defense Area.³ “If someone now steps across the border onto that strip controlled by the Department of Defense, they are basically trespassing on a defense installation,” Burgum told Newsmax. “That allows our military to detain someone until Border Patrol arrives.”⁴
This corridor stretches across San Diego and Imperial Counties, nearly reaching from the Arizona state line to the Otay Mountain Wilderness. Interior officials describe it as “one of the highest-traffic regions for unlawful crossings along the southern border.”⁵
Democrats’ Posse Comitatus Objection Falls Flat
Critics have claimed Trump is violating the Posse Comitatus Act, which generally bars the military from domestic law enforcement. But the Roosevelt Reservation changes the rules.
That federal land has been legally designated for anti-smuggling operations for 118 years. By transferring it to the Navy, it becomes an official military installation. Troops aren’t acting as law enforcement—they’re protecting a military base from trespassers.
Burgum credited both Trump and Roosevelt for this strategy. “We have two presidents to thank,” he said. “One is President Trump, who’s protecting our border. The other is President Theodore Roosevelt.”⁶
Coordinated Military Response Along the Border
The Interior Department controls 41% of the land along the southwestern border from the Gulf to the Pacific.⁷ Trump has already used this authority in New Mexico, and Southern California was next due to high cross-border traffic.
The Navy will now decide how to deploy troops—active-duty or reservists—to secure the newly designated zone. Since April, multiple militarized zones have been established in Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and now California.⁸ These zones give the military the power to detain migrants attempting illegal crossings and prosecute trespassers.
Border Patrol arrests have already dropped to the lowest levels since the 1960s, showing the crackdown is working.⁹ Predictably, Democrats are furious. California Governor Gavin Newsom opposed Trump’s call-up of over 4,000 National Guard troops without his approval, and a federal judge even tried to halt the deployment.¹⁰ But Trump isn’t backing down.
Closing the Gaps
Trump’s military buildup sends a clear message to border cartels. These groups have been labeled Foreign Terrorist Organizations, allowing authorities to bring RICO charges and seize assets. The Roosevelt Reservation, now fully operational, is finally serving its original purpose: stopping smugglers who once exploited the terrain to evade detection.
Burgum emphasized that Interior is coordinating closely with the Department of Defense and other agencies. “Interior has been a partner with all of them because of this tremendous amount of land that we have on our side of the border,” he said.¹¹
By restoring military control to this critical corridor, Trump is methodically closing every gap left open by Biden. Anyone crossing that narrow federal strip is now stepping onto a military base—and the Navy will be ready to intercept them.
