# US-Mexico border ADS testing and surveillance expansion > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/us-mexico-border-active-denial-system-testing > Updated: 2026-10-25T21:55:52.000Z. Sources: 48. Developments: 4. 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. ## Claims - The Pentagon authorized the DHS to test the Active Denial System (ADS) at the southern border. (corroborated by 11 sources) - Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth signed a memo authorizing a seven-month loan of the ADS to the DHS. (corroborated by 4 sources) - The ADS uses a 95 GHz invisible microwave beam to heat the skin. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The resulting tingling sensation from the weapon lasts between 10 and 15 minutes. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The DHS is solely responsible for operating the weapon and developing tactics. (corroborated by 3 sources) - The beam penetrates approximately 1/64 of an inch of the skin. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The ADS was used briefly in Afghanistan in 2010. (corroborated by 2 sources) - The weapon is considered nonlethal and is not intended to damage tissue. (corroborated by 2 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-10-25: 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. 6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/pentagon-authorizes-dhs-to-test-heat-ray-weapon-for-us-mexico-border ### 2026-10-23: 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. 15 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/pentagon-authorizes-dhs-to-test-heat-ray-weapon-at-us-mexico-border ### 2026-10-23: 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. 2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/united-states-expands-high-tech-surveillance-and-weaponry-at-the-mexico-border ### 2026-10-21: 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. 24 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/pentagon-authorizes-dhs-to-test-heat-ray-weapon-for-border-use --- Cite as: US-Mexico border ADS testing and surveillance expansion. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/us-mexico-border-active-denial-system-testing