Clarifying the Military's Role in Protecting Territorial Integrity

Jan 30, 2025

Summary

Orders the military to focus on securing the country's borders to stop illegal migration, drug trafficking, and other crimes.

What problem does this solve?

The country's borders face threats from illegal mass migration and drug trafficking, which puts the safety of Americans at risk. This order directs the Armed Forces to make sealing the borders a top mission to stop these threats and protect the nation's territory.

What does this order do?

New mission for USNORTHCOM to seal borders

Requires the Secretary of Defense to update plans, giving the U.S. Northern Command the specific mission of sealing the borders to stop illegal migration, drug trafficking, and other crimes.

Mandates new border security planning

Adds a Level 3 planning requirement for USNORTHCOM to develop strategies for sealing the borders and providing continuous security along the southern border.

Establishes border protection as a military priority

Sets a national policy that the Armed Forces must prioritize protecting the country's borders and territorial integrity.

Who does this affect?

U.S. Armed Forces
Immigrants and asylum seekers
Border communities

What is the real world impact?

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Uses military for domestic law enforcement

Assigns the Armed Forces tasks often handled by civilian agencies. This could raise concerns about the militarization of the border and potential conflicts with laws that limit military involvement in domestic law enforcement.

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Strengthens national security

Uses the military to address border threats like illegal immigration and drug smuggling, which are described in the order as a national emergency.

When does this start?

This order sets several deadlines for the Department of Defense to implement new border security missions.

Immediate changes to military guidance

New requirements for border security planning are added to military guidance documents immediately on the order's effective date of January 20, 2025.

Revised command plan due

The Secretary of Defense must give the President a revised Unified Command Plan within 10 days of the order's effective date, by January 30, 2025.

Commander's border plan estimate due

The USNORTHCOM commander must provide an estimate for the new border sealing plan to the Secretary of Defense within 30 days, by February 19, 2025.