Law enforcement authorities are ramping up enforcement at National Defense Areas along the U.S.-Mexico border in an effort to crack down on illegal entries and human trafficking.
These NDAs are militarized zones along the border aimed that sprang out of a memorandum issued by President Donald Trump in April.
A coalition of agencies, including the Border Patrol, the Department of Defense, and U.S. Attorney offices, held a news conference on Wednesday, June 11, to sound the alarm over NDAs and the consequences that come with entering into them.
“Anyone who enters the United States illegally will be removed,” said Walter Slosar, Border Patrol’s Interim Chief for the El Paso Sector. “It applies to anybody, from any country.”
In the El Paso Sector, the NDA stretches from Fort Hancock, Texas, to Lordsburg, New Mexico, with signs mounted every 100 meters warning would-be immigrants not to enter.
“Nothing in this area indicates this is a reasonable place to enter,” said Border Patrol Assistant Chief Jaime Lopez, noting that anyone entering the area would have to cross the Rio Grande, rows of concertina wire and armed agents.
The heightened enforcement measures, known as the “Deep South Campaign,” are aimed not only at stopping illegal immigration but also at pushing back on the lies being peddled by Mexican drug cartels who use billions in profits from human smuggling to bolster their criminal enterprises.
Apprehensions in the Border Patrol El Paso Sector are down compared to early 2024. Those numbers have been declining since former President Joe Biden late last year starting requiring migrants to use an app to schedule asylum hearings.
“Foreign terrorist organizations are lying to you,” Slosar said. “There are legal pathways; they do exist.”
Along with being prosecuted for illegal entry, entering an NDA also comes with a trespassing charge. But so far, those prosecutions have amounted to little action — Justin Simmons, interim U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Texas, said two recent cases in El Paso were thrown out, one by a judge and another by a jury.
Still, he has faith in the new enforcement campaign and said the NDAs provide additional resources to the border and allow for better coverage by law enforcement.
“This is a whole of government approach to this problem,” he said, with the ultimate goal being the “total eradication of Mexican drug cartels.”
Ryan Ellison, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico, agreed and issued a warning to anyone considering entering an NDA.
“We are alert, we are unified, and we are prepared to act,” he said.
Adam Powell covers government and politics for the El Paso Times and can be reached via email at apowell@elpasotimes.com.
This article originally appeared on El Paso Times: Border officials warn: ‘Anyone who enters the United States illegally will be removed’
Reporting by Adam Powell, El Paso Times / El Paso Times
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