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4 clusters · 48 sources · 5 days · First seen 5 days ago · Last updated about 23 hours ago

US-Mexico border ADS testing and surveillance expansion

Overview

The Pentagon has authorized the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to test the Active Denial System (ADS), a military-grade directed-energy weapon, for potential use along the U.S.-Mexico border. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memorandum allowing for a seven-month temporary loan of the system starting in September.

The ADS utilizes an invisible beam of millimeter-wave electromagnetic energy that can reach targets at a distance of approximately 800 to 1,000 meters. When the beam contacts human skin, it produces an intense burning sensation, which military officials have compared to the heat felt when “opening a hot oven.” This sensation is designed to trigger an instinctive urge to flee and typically lasts between 10 and 15 minutes.

Under the authorization, the DHS holds exclusive responsibility for the employment of the system and the development of operational tactics, techniques, and procedures. While the U.S. military previously utilized the system in Afghanistan, it was ultimately discarded for combat and crowd-control scenarios. Deployment at the southern border would represent an unprecedented move for the technology. Previous attempts to use the technology, such as for riot control in Los Angeles in 2010, were halted due to pushback from civil rights groups and the FCC.

Recent developments indicate a broader expansion of high-tech security measures under the Trump administration. This includes a multi-million dollar initiative deploying a network of automated towers manufactured by Anduril. These towers utilize artificial intelligence, high-resolution cameras, and radar sensors to monitor movement across remote deserts and urban zones in California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, affecting over one million people.

Entities

Department of Homeland Security · United States · Pentagon · Pete Hegseth · Mexico

Claims

What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.

[● 11 SOURCES] The Pentagon authorized the DHS to test the Active Denial System (ADS) at the southern border. tvn.com.ar · eltecolote.mx · kissrichmond.com · aldialogo.mx · mycolumbusmagic.com · +6 more
[● 4 SOURCES] Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo authorizing a seven-month loan of the ADS to the DHS. tvn.com.ar · eltecolote.mx · aldialogo.mx · www.slashgear.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The ADS uses a 95 GHz invisible microwave beam to heat the skin. tvn.com.ar · www.slashgear.com · www.scientificamerican.com
[● 3 SOURCES] The resulting tingling sensation from the weapon lasts between 10 and 15 minutes. eltecolote.mx · kissrichmond.com · aldialogo.mx
[● 3 SOURCES] The DHS is solely responsible for operating the weapon and developing tactics. tvn.com.ar · eltecolote.mx · aldialogo.mx
[● 2 SOURCES] The beam penetrates approximately 1/64 of an inch of the skin. tvn.com.ar · www.slashgear.com
[● 2 SOURCES] The ADS was used briefly in Afghanistan in 2010. eltecolote.mx · www.scientificamerican.com
[● 2 SOURCES] The weapon is considered nonlethal and is not intended to damage tissue. kissrichmond.com · www.scientificamerican.com

Timeline

about 23 hours ago

[POLITICS] 6 sources
Pentagon authorizes DHS to test heat ray weapon for US-Mexico border
The Pentagon has permitted the DHS to test the Active Denial System, a nonlethal heat ray weapon, for potential use in crowd dispersal along the US-Mexico border.
3 days ago

[POLITICS] 15 sources
Pentagon authorizes DHS to test heat ray weapon at US-Mexico border
The Pentagon has granted the DHS permission to test the Active Denial System, a nonlethal heat ray weapon, for potential use in crowd dispersal and border operations at the U.S.-Mexico border.
3 days ago

[POLITICS] 2 sources
United States expands high-tech surveillance and weaponry at the Mexico border
The US is deploying AI-powered surveillance towers and testing military-grade heat ray technology along the US-Mexico border to enhance security and monitoring capabilities.
5 days ago

[INTERNATIONAL] 24 sources
Pentagon authorizes DHS to test Active Denial System at US-Mexico border
The Pentagon has authorized the DHS to test the Active Denial System, a non-lethal heat ray, at the U.S.-Mexico border for a seven-month period starting in September.

Sources

2001online.com · ajuaa.com · aldialogo.mx · brasilemfolhas.com.br · calibre800.com · canal44.com · dailycaller.com · dossierpolitico.com · elbuentono.com.mx · eltecolote.mx · europesays.com · expresion-sonora.com · face.ba · fehmarn24.de · futurism.com · goniec.net · hch.tv · hna.de · independent.co.uk · indicepolitico.com · kion546.com · kissrichmond.com · krdo.com · kurierverlag.de · localnews8.com · losangelespress.org · mannheim24.de · massinformacion.com.mx · merkur-online.de · mycolumbusmagic.com · newsone.com · newstalkcleveland.com · noticiaspv.com.mx · nuevolaredo.tv · reddenoticias.online · rickeysmileymorningshow.com · rotativo.com.mx · scientificamerican.com · slashgear.com · thebuzzcincy.com · thelibertydaily.com · themorninghustle.com · thepricer.org · trendingpoliticsnews.com · tvn.com.ar · vanguardadonorte.com.br · wiadomosci.gazeta.pl · xeu.mx

This summary has been updated 3 times: see revision history