Pentagon Approves Testing of Heat Ray for Potential Use At Southern Border
2 days ago
The Pentagon has approved a request from the Department of Homeland Security to test a military-grade heat ray that could eventually be used in immigration enforcement operations along the U.S.-Mexico border.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized the testing of the Active Denial System, a nonlethal weapon designed to disperse crowds by producing an intense heating sensation on the skin.
According to a memo obtained by CNN, the Pentagon approved a seven-month temporary loan of the system to DHS, allowing the agency to evaluate the technology and develop tactics for its potential use in border operations.
The Active Denial System uses an invisible beam of electromagnetic energy that can reach more than half a mile. When the beam makes contact with a person's skin, it rapidly heats the surface, creating a burning sensation intended to make the individual move away.
Military officials have described the technology as a nonlethal alternative to conventional weapons, although previous testing has resulted in injuries, including burns.
The memo, signed by Hegseth in September, places responsibility for operating the system and developing procedures with DHS. Pentagon personnel will not operate the equipment during the testing period.
Customs and Border Protection officials say the agency routinely evaluates new technologies that could improve operational effectiveness and strengthen border security.
The proposal comes as the Trump administration continues prioritizing immigration enforcement and security along the southern border.
However, the potential use of the system has raised legal and safety concerns, particularly regarding the possibility of injuries and its use against people attempting to cross the border.
Former border officials have also questioned whether deploying the technology near waterways could create additional dangers for migrants attempting to cross into the United States.
The technology has been considered for immigration enforcement before. During President Trump's first term, officials discussed using the system along the southern border, but the proposal was rejected in 2018 by then-Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.
The U.S. military previously deployed the Active Denial System to Afghanistan in 2010, although it was never used in combat operations.
The latest authorization does not mean the weapon has been approved for operational deployment at the border.
DHS has not publicly specified where the system will be tested or whether it will ultimately be used in immigration enforcement.
The agency could request an extension of the equipment loan after the initial seven-month period.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized the testing of the Active Denial System, a nonlethal weapon designed to disperse crowds by producing an intense heating sensation on the skin.
According to a memo obtained by CNN, the Pentagon approved a seven-month temporary loan of the system to DHS, allowing the agency to evaluate the technology and develop tactics for its potential use in border operations.
The Active Denial System uses an invisible beam of electromagnetic energy that can reach more than half a mile. When the beam makes contact with a person's skin, it rapidly heats the surface, creating a burning sensation intended to make the individual move away.
Military officials have described the technology as a nonlethal alternative to conventional weapons, although previous testing has resulted in injuries, including burns.
The memo, signed by Hegseth in September, places responsibility for operating the system and developing procedures with DHS. Pentagon personnel will not operate the equipment during the testing period.
Customs and Border Protection officials say the agency routinely evaluates new technologies that could improve operational effectiveness and strengthen border security.
The proposal comes as the Trump administration continues prioritizing immigration enforcement and security along the southern border.
However, the potential use of the system has raised legal and safety concerns, particularly regarding the possibility of injuries and its use against people attempting to cross the border.
Former border officials have also questioned whether deploying the technology near waterways could create additional dangers for migrants attempting to cross into the United States.
The technology has been considered for immigration enforcement before. During President Trump's first term, officials discussed using the system along the southern border, but the proposal was rejected in 2018 by then-Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.
The U.S. military previously deployed the Active Denial System to Afghanistan in 2010, although it was never used in combat operations.
The latest authorization does not mean the weapon has been approved for operational deployment at the border.
DHS has not publicly specified where the system will be tested or whether it will ultimately be used in immigration enforcement.
The agency could request an extension of the equipment loan after the initial seven-month period.
