The Interior Department announced on Tuesday that it will hand over control of nearly 110,000 acres of federal land along the U.S.–Mexico border to the Army in an effort to deter illegal border crossings.
Interior Secretary Doug Burgum announced the emergency transfer during his visit to New Mexico on April 15, granting the Army control of the border zone for three years, according to the department’s statement.
The transfer of administrative jurisdiction of these lands, the department said, is intended to help the government protect sensitive natural and cultural resources in the region while enabling the Army to support U.S. Border Patrol operations in securing the border….