The Pentagon stands firm (and controversial) on the border
It seems that the Pentagon decided that its mission was not only to defend the United States from alien invaders or Russian hackers, but also from… undocumented migrants. Yes, in a twist worthy of an episode of Black Mirror, the US Northern Command has just taken control of 51 additional kilometers on the Arizona border with Mexico. With this, the Department of Defense now manages more than 26% of the entire border line, because what better way to spend the military budget than patrolling the desert?
Operation “They will not pass” (or something like that)
The new National Defense Area (NDA, because the government loves acronyms) in Yuma, Arizona, was previously under the command of the Department of the Interior. But then again, why let the rangers deal with that when you can send soldiers? According to the Northern Command, the military is now responsible for patrolling, detaining migrants and even building barriers. Basically an Airbnb for the military, but without the five-star reviews.
This is not the first NDA: there are already two others in Texas and New Mexico, adding a total of 828 militarized kilometers of the 3,175 that make up the border. And, be careful, if a migrant crosses through one of these areas, they can face up to a year in prison and fines. Because nothing says “land of the free” like criminalizing desperate people.
Legal or a “failed social experiment”?
This is where things get murky. In May, a federal judge dismissed charges against 98 migrants detained in New Mexico because, surprise, the government could not prove they knew they were in a military zone. I mean, there weren’t even clear signs. So how is someone supposed to avoid an area if they don’t know it exists? Spoiler: he can’t.
Civil rights groups and even some lawmakers, such as Senator Jack Reed, have called this policy a “legal fiction.” Basically, an excuse to militarize the border without going through the trouble of, you know, respecting the laws. But hey, who needs legal protections when you have camouflage uniforms and a big budget?
And now what’s next?
While the government continues to boast that it has detained 1,400 migrants in these areas (although without updating data since June), the question is: is this really deterring migration or just making it more dangerous? Because, spoiler alert, people will continue to flee violence and poverty, with or without soldiers along the way.
So there you have it: the Pentagon playing border agent, judges dismantling weak cases and an immigration policy that seems straight out of a bad Hollywood script. What could go wrong?
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