US defense chief authorizes border ‘heat ray’ tests, reports say
The reported seven-month loan gives Homeland Security permission to test the Active Denial System for possible US–Mexico border operations.
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The reported seven-month loan gives Homeland Security permission to test the Active Denial System for possible US–Mexico border operations.
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized a seven-month loan of the military’s Active Denial System to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) for testing and potential US–Mexico border operations. The Guardian reported on 22 October that CNN had obtained the memo, signed in September 2026, when the loan began.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials had previously considered the system for areas with numerous unauthorized crossings or for dispersing crowds, but it was never deployed, the Guardian reported.
The weapon emits an energy beam that causes an intense heat sensation on the skin, according to a 2009 National Defense University case study cited by the Guardian. The study described an intolerable sensation that triggers reflexive movements, such as ducking or running.
In 2012, the US Marine Corps said the system complied with US international legal obligations, and officials expressed confidence that it was safe. Those were the military’s assessments at the time.
The memo makes DHS solely responsible for operating the system and developing its tactics and procedures, according to CNN’s reporting relayed by the Guardian. It prohibits personnel from the US Defense Department, also known as the Pentagon, from operating it.
A CBP spokesperson said the agency continually evaluates new technology, particularly technology that could save lives while improving national security. DHS’s precise intended use of the system remains unclear.
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