border military Trump national defense area.

Annexed militarized zones will soon cover nearly one-third of the U.S. border with Mexico, empowering soldiers to arrest people who cross the border illegally. President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency at the border has allowed the Army to sidestep a law prohibiting the military from civilian law enforcement. It has been criticized by humanitarian groups and gotten a mixed reception from hunters, hikers and others who fear being locked out of public lands across a cherished landscape. U.S. authorities are moving to extend the militarized zones amid court challenges and a sharp drop in illegal crossings.