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US-Mexico border ADS testing and surveillance expansion

Updated 3 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-24 14:48 UTC → 2026-10-26 03:31 UTC · added removed

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.

Versions

  1. 2026-10-26 03:31 UTC US-Mexico border ADS testing and surveillance expansion
  2. 2026-10-24 14:48 UTC US-Mexico border ADS testing and surveillance expansion
  3. 2026-10-24 02:44 UTC US-Mexico border Active Denial System testing
  4. 2026-10-23 18:44 UTC US-Mexico border Active Denial System testing

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