The U.S. Army is stepping in to help secure a large stretch of land along the southern border, following a new directive from President Trump.

On Tuesday, Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum announced that nearly 110,000 acres of federal land in New Mexico will now be under Army control for the next three years. The land transfer is part of a broader push by the Trump administration to crack down on illegal immigration and trafficking.

The 109,651 acres will be handed over “subject to valid existing rights,” according to a statement from the U.S. Department of the Interior.

This change comes after President Donald Trump signed a memorandum titled “Military Mission for Sealing the Southern Border of the United States and Repelling Invasions.” That order told the secretaries of Defense, Interior, Agriculture, and Homeland Security to transfer control of federal land where necessary for military activity.

The Department of the Interior said this move will allow the Army to support U.S. Border Patrol operations while also helping to protect natural and cultural resources in the area, reports FOX.

“Securing our border and protecting our nation’s resources go hand in hand,” Burgum said in the statement. “The American people gave President Trump a mandate to make America safe and strong again.”

He added that the transfer shows Interior’s dedication to public safety, national security, and responsible land management.

The Army had asked for the transfer on “an emergency basis” so it could boost patrols and presence in the area. President Trump had previously declared a national emergency along the southern border earlier this year.

With control of the land, the Army can now build infrastructure to stop illegal crossings, human smuggling, and drug trafficking.

The Interior Department also warned the border crisis isn’t just about law enforcement—it’s creating an “environmental crisis” too.

The region is home to nearly two dozen endangered species and includes important cultural sites. These areas were previously managed by the Bureau of Land Management, which now says the heavy foot traffic and illegal crossings are damaging fragile ecosystems and historic landmarks.

They noted that “high-traffic illegal crossings could lead to soil erosion, damage to fragile desert vegetation and critical wildlife habitat, loss and damage to cultural resources, increased fire risk and pollution from trash and human waste.”

While the Army will now oversee the land, the Bureau of Land Management will work with the military to make sure “some” of the area can still be used by local ranchers and miners whose livelihoods depend on it.