The National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) and the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA), both under the Department of Defense, have been ordered by the Trump administration to focus their satellite surveillance on the U.S.-Mexico border. The move is part of a broader effort to combat illegal immigration and drug cartels, with both agencies overseeing spy satellites and analyzing imagery for military and intelligence operations.
This move, alongside increased troop deployments, signals a growing militarization of the southern border, where Trump has declared a national emergency. The NGA confirmed it established a task force to coordinate border security efforts, while the NRO stated it was working with intelligence and defense agencies to help secure U.S. borders.
Trump’s executive actions aim to stop unauthorized crossings, curb drug trafficking, and deport millions of people in the country illegally. While AI and drone technology have long been used for border surveillance, this initiative expands the military’s role, leveraging advanced satellite imagery to track movements and identify threats. According to sources familiar with the effort, AI could be used to analyze satellite images and sensor data, similar to battlefield intelligence operations.
A spokesperson for the Office of the Director of National Intelligence emphasized that all intelligence activities are legal and conducted with safeguards for civil liberties. However, the NGA and NRO declined to disclose specific details of their surveillance or whether it involves monitoring U.S. territory.
A newly released annual threat assessment ranked transnational criminal organizations among the top national security concerns, above threats from countries like North Korea and Iran. Meanwhile, the National Security Council has been receiving daily reports on immigration detention figures, including arrests of unaccompanied minors, according to internal documents reviewed by Reuters.
Defense contractors are in discussions with government agencies to support the expanded border-security operations, sources said. Advanced software could integrate sensor data from towers, satellites, and drones, using AI to flag potential threats for authorities. One source described the initiative as a “digital wall” meant to enhance the physical barriers already in place.
