Border land in Imperial Valley designated as a National Defense Area

IMPERIAL COUNTY, Calif. (KYMA) - Land along the California-Mexico border is now designated as National Defense Area Five, covering 760 acres in Imperial County.

The land falls under Naval Air Facility El Centro and stretches 104 miles along the border.

But while the Navy owns the land and manages who can access it, they are not the ones patrolling it.

Security operations inside the area are carried out by Joint Task Force–Southern Border in coordination with Border Patrol. The Navy’s role is to review access requests and coordinate with partner agencies to prevent conflicts.

The designation is expected to remain in place for the next three years. Signs posted throughout the area warn that unauthorized entry is not allowed.

Officials say they are also looking at potentially extending the area another 37 miles west toward the Pacific Ocean.

The goal, according to the Navy, is to support border security efforts while ensuring public safety and smooth coordination between agencies.