Washington—U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth authorized the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to conduct tests with a military-grade directed energy weapon, which could be incorporated into future security operations on the U.S.-Mexico border.
According to reports, the technology is being evaluated as a
potential tool to strengthen border surveillance and control efforts. Its
possible applications include crowd dispersal.
The authorization opens a new chapter in the use of military
technologies for internal security tasks, in a context marked by stricter
immigration control measures and Washington's efforts to reinforce surveillance
on its southern border.
Directed energy weapons use concentrated energy, instead of
conventional projectiles, to produce specific effects on a target. Their
characteristics and consequences depend on the system used, making it important
to know which specific technology will be tested, its capabilities, and the
safety protocols that will be established.
The initiative could also raise questions about the risks to
people, the working conditions of this type of technology, and the oversight
mechanisms that would accompany its use in areas where migrants and security
personnel are concentrated.
For now, it will be necessary to review the test results and
official specifications to determine the system's capabilities and under what
circumstances it could be used on the border with Mexico.