Land Along Southern Border Is Transferred to Navy to Become Part of ‘National Defense Area’

The 760 acres of California land will be controlled by the military, allowing troops to make arrests.

The U.S. border with Mexico near San Diego on Jan. 31, 2025. Jae C. Hong/AP Photo

The Trump administration said on Dec. 10 that it would transfer roughly 760 acres of public land along the U.S.-Mexico border in California to the Navy for three years to support border security operations.

While announcing the decision Wednesday, the Interior Department said the land would become part of a “National Defense Area,” or militarized zone, to bolster immigration enforcement.