Illegal border crossers in New Mexico are now facing criminal charges under a section of U.S. law that protects military installations from unauthorized entry. On Thursday, New United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico Ryan Ellison announced the filing of 82 new Title 50 charges for unauthorized entry into the newly designated National Defense Area along New Mexico’s southern border. The announcement followed a high-level visit by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks.
As reported by Breitbart Texas, in early April, President Trump ordered the United States Armed Forces to seal the southern border from unlawful entry within the Roosevelt Reservation along the southwest border. The area covers a more than 170-mile stretch of the U.S./Mexico border. President Trump said the purpose of the mission was to “maintain the sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security of the United States.
The order brought the strip of land under Department of Defense control, making incursions a federal offense under Title 50 of the United States Code, a section of federal law governing war and national defense. The new designation of the territory makes unauthorized entry into the area a crime in addition to the criminal statutes under Title 8 of the United States Code, which covers the illegal entry violation under immigration law.
The U.S. Attorney’s office for the District of New Mexico announced the filing of the criminal cases on Thursday, marking the first large-scale use of the novel criminal statute. The New Mexico corridor, now treated as an extension of U.S. Army Garrison Fort Huachuca, is subject to enhanced military patrols and surveillance, with U.S. troops authorized to temporarily detain and transfer individuals to federal law enforcement for prosecution.
According to the United States Attorney for New Mexico, the newly filed Title 50 charges carry potential penalties of up to one year in prison, supplementing any penalties for existing immigration-related offenses. The Justice Department’s latest actions to bring forth prosecutions under the newly applied statute underscore the coordinated federal response to border security taking place at the border and in cities across the United States.
In a statement indicating the Department of Justice intends to enforce the statute in a manner than reflects a zero-tolerance posture, U.S. Attorney Ryan Ellison emphasized, “The Department of Justice will work hand in glove with the Department of Defense and Border Patrol to gain 100% operational control of New Mexico’s 170-mile border with Mexico. Trespassers into the National Defense Area will be Federally prosecuted—no exceptions.”
Randy Clark is a 32-year veteran of the United States Border Patrol. Before his retirement, he served as the Division Chief for Law Enforcement Operations, directing operations for nine Border Patrol Stations within the Del Rio, Texas, Sector. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @RandyClarkBBTX.
Read the full article here
