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.
In NDAs, U.S. military personnel can temporarily detain alleged trespassers and then transfer them to appropriate law enforcement.
So far, the Trump administration has erected three NDAs including the one announced Wednesday.
The first NDA was established in New Mexico on April 21 and spans some 170 miles along the state's border. The second one was erected on May 1 in West Texas, covering about 63 miles between El Paso and Fort Hancock.
The first trial conviction for trespassing in an NDA occurred earlier this month.
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