American troops now have the authority to detain and search undocumented migrants in New Mexico, a role service members have not held before at the southern border, U.S. Northern Command said Monday.

Northcom said troops “have been delegated the authority” to conduct security support operations in the New Mexico National Defense Area (NMNDA), a zone that runs along the U.S.-Mexico border now considered part of the Army's Fort Huachuca in Arizona.

The authorization means service members can now temporarily detain and search trespassers, provide medical assistance and implement crowd control on the military-controlled land until appropriate law enforcement can take custody of an individual, according........

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