The US Department of the Interior will transfer control of a part of the California-Mexico border to the Department of the Navy to create a "national defense zone", the ministry's press service announced.
"Partnering with the US Navy to address longstanding security gaps strengthens our national defense, protects our public lands from unauthorized use, and advances the President's US agenda by putting the safety of the American people first," said US Secretary of the Interior Douglas Burgum.
It is about 3 square kilometers in San Diego and Imperial counties. The area from the western border of the protected area in the Otay Mountain area to the western part of the Arizona border will be transferred to the jurisdiction of the Navy for three years. The Ministry of Interior clarifies that this corridor is a major route for illegal immigration.
According to the US Department of Homeland Security, the United States has deported 2.5 million foreign nationals since the beginning of 2025. 1.9 million of them left the country voluntarily, while 600,000 were forcibly deported.
Trump has previously said that an estimated 25 million people entered the United States illegally before he took office. The current president of the White House has repeatedly advocated for stricter immigration policies. After his inauguration, he signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency along the US-Mexico border.
