Judge dismisses trespassing charges against migrants in military zone

In the United States, federal magistrate judges in New Mexico have begun dismissing military-base trespassing charges against immigrants who crossed illegally into a newly designated national defense zone. This area, known as the New Mexico National Defense Area, was established in April and has become the center of legal contention as immigrants are charged with violating security regulations. Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Gregory Wormuth ruled that the migrants did not know they were entering the military zone, leading to the dismissal of their charges. The ruling came after the federal government had argued that signs were posted in both English and Spanish to warn against unauthorized entry. Judge Wormuth, who has served since 2009, pointed out that the challenging terrain in the military zone likely prevented the defendants from seeing the signs. He emphasized that the government had not provided adequate evidence to prove that the immigrants were aware they were entering a restricted area. This decision represents a significant setback for the Trump administration, which has been implementing stricter measures at the southern border to deter illegal immigration. In total, magistrate judges have dismissed trespassing charges in at least 120 cases, while similar misdemeanor charges for illegal entry into the U.S. still remain. The increased military presence at the border, intended to support U.S. Customs and Border Protection operations against illegal immigration, has not been effective in deterring crossings into the designated area. As of early May, at least 339 migrants had been charged with entering the New Mexico military area. The federal government has stated that over 199 signs have been installed along the New Mexico border to provide warnings. However, Judge Wormuth remarked that these posted signs alone do not provide sufficient reasoning to conclude that the defendants were aware of the restrictions. Public defenders have argued that without proof of knowledge regarding military restrictions, the trespassing charges are baseless. The broader implications for these migrants regarding their legal status in federal immigration courts remain uncertain.