The U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) transferred control and administrative jurisdiction of nearly 110,000 acres of federal land along the New Mexico-Mexico border to the Department of the Army. The move by the Interior Department is to comply with President Donald Trump’s order for the U.S. military to take control of federal land along our southern border.
“Securing our border and protecting our nation’s resources go hand in hand,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said in an announcement on Tuesday. “The American people gave President Trump a mandate to make America safe and strong again. This transfer reflects Interior’s commitment to public safety, national security, and responsible stewardship of our public lands.”
The transfer of control of the New Mexico border region is designed to facilitate the Army’s support of the U.S. Border Patrol in securing the border and cracking down on illegal immigration.
On Friday, President Trump ordered the United States Armed Forces to repel the invasion and seal the southern border from unlawful entry, Breitbart Texas reported.
According to a statement from the White House, Trump ordered the Secretaries of Defense, Interior, Agriculture, and Homeland Security to begin the initial phase of this operation within 45 days. He also granted the Secretary of Defense the authority to extend the activities to other federal lands along the southern border.
“The Department of the Army requested the withdrawal and transfer of these lands on an emergency basis to allow for the increase in regular patrols by federal personnel, construction of infrastructure to prevent unlawful entry, disrupt foreign terrorist threats to the U.S., and to curb illegal cross-border activities, such as unlawful migration, narcotics trafficking, migrant smuggling, and human trafficking,” DOI officials announced. “Transfer of the management of this land to the Army will facilitate military engagement to prevent unauthorized human activity in ecologically sensitive areas along the southern border, which can be harmed by repeated foot traffic, unregulated vehicle use, and the creation of informal trails or camps. High-traffic illegal crossings can lead to soil erosion, damage to fragile desert vegetation and critical wildlife habitat, loss and damage to cultural resources, increased fire risk and pollution from trash and human waste.”
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday morning talk show. He also serves as president of Blue Wonder Gun Care Products.
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