U.S Launches First Criminal Charges Against Migrants in Newly Declared Military Zone Along Mexico Border

The United States has filed its first criminal charges against migrants and asylum seekers accused of illegally entering a recently established military zone near the southern border, marking a significant escalation in the federal government’s immigration enforcement strategy.

According to court documents unsealed Monday and reviewed by multiple US media outlets, at least 28 individuals have been charged with “violations of security regulations” — a misdemeanor offense — for breaching the boundaries of the newly designated “New Mexico National Defense Area.” Though minor in legal classification, the charge carries potential penalties of up to one year in prison and fines reaching $100,000.

This marks a stark departure from standard immigration proceedings, where illegal entry typically results in civil or lower-level criminal penalties. Critics warn the move represents a troubling shift toward militarization of the US-Mexico border under President Donald Trump’s renewed hardline immigration agenda.

The controversial military zone was created on April 18 through a Department of Defense directive that expanded the Army’s Fort Huachuca installation by more than 109,000 acres of federal land — territory previously managed by the Department of the Interior.

The newly classified zone overlaps key migration routes long used by asylum seekers and migrants traveling through the harsh desert terrain.

Legal analysts point out that the expansion effectively transforms civilian land into a restricted military area, allowing the federal government to impose harsher punishments on those who cross without authorization — even if they are exercising their internationally protected right to seek asylum.

The Biden administration had previously been criticized for its restrictive asylum policies, but the current shift under the Trump administration has brought renewed scrutiny from rights groups and immigration advocates.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited the site last week, describing the zone as a “new line of defense” against what he labeled an “invasion” of illegal immigration.

His remarks sparked backlash from humanitarian organizations, who argue that the administration is criminalizing vulnerable populations fleeing violence and poverty.

“This is not national defense; this is political theater at the expense of human rights,” one immigration rights attorney told reporters.

The move comes amid broader efforts by Trump officials to deter unauthorized crossings, despite longstanding US and international legal obligations to permit asylum applications at or between ports of entry.