A National Defense Area has been set up in the Yuma Sector to increase security along the Southern border, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The area is located next to the Roosevelt Reservation, close to the Barry M. Goldwater Range and the Cabeza Prieta Wildlife Refuge.
Military personnel are authorized within this zone to temporarily detain individuals who enter without permission. Those detained will be handed over to U.S. Border Patrol agents, who may file criminal charges for violating defense property rules and entering military land, as well as charges related to illegal entry and removal proceedings.
The restricted area is marked with signs warning that unauthorized entry is not allowed under federal regulations.
Similar National Defense Areas have already been established in Texas and New Mexico. These zones aim to address drug and human smuggling while also reducing environmental harm caused by foot traffic, littering, and vehicle crossings at the border.
"U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is America's frontline: the nation's largest law enforcement organization and the world's first unified border management agency. The 65,000+ men and women of CBP protect America on the ground, in the air, and on the seas. We enforce safe, lawful travel and trade and ensure our country's economic prosperity. We enhance the nation's security through innovation, intelligence, collaboration, and trust."
