What Happened
National Defense Area Restrictions Challenged In Court
A lawsuit has been filed in US District Court in Albuquerque challenging the Trump administration’s designation of a national defense area along the US-New Mexico border. The plaintiffs, including the New Mexico Wildlife Federation, claim that the restricted zone has harmed the daily lives of US citizens, including hunters, birdwatchers, and border advocacy groups. The lawsuit contends that the US Department of the Interior, the US Department of Defense, and the US Army exceeded their statutory authority in creating the national defense area, according to the Albuquerque Journal.