June 26 (UPI) -- Amid the Trump administration's crackdown on immigration, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered the establishment of another buffer zone along the U.S.-Mexico border where the military can apprehend non-citizens.
The National Defense Area, announced Wednesday, will cover about 250 miles of the Rio Grande River in Texas' Cameron and Hidalgo Counties. According to a statement from the U.S. Air Force, Hegseth issued the directed on June 18.
"This designation marks the latest in a series of NDAs established to strengthen interagency coordination and bolster security operations along the U.S. southern border," the Air Force said.
With the move, three NDAs have been established along the U.S.-Mexico border under President Donald Trump's April 11 memorandum directing the U.S. military to seal the southern border to repel an alleged "invasion" of immigrants trying to enter the country.
Border security was a key focus of Trump's re-election campaign, which included him spouting derogatory rhetoric and misinformation about migrants. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has led a crackdown on immigration.
