Texas — The Defense Department has received more land to establish a second military zone along the U.S this one in El Paso as an extension of Fort Bliss to allow troops to detain and search anyone found trespassing The El Paso defense area stretches about 53 miles east to the town of Fort Hancock spokesman for the Joint Task Force – Southern Border Soldiers have also begun to hang signs on the land to warn people they are entering a military base “The establishment of a second National Defense Area increases our operational reach and effectiveness in denying illegal activity along the southern border,” said Air Force Gen “This is the second area in which Joint Task Force – Southern Border service members who are already detecting and monitoring through stationary positions and mobile patrols nearby can now temporarily detain trespassers until they are transferred to an appropriate law enforcement entity.” Military deployments to support Customs and Border Protection first began in 2018 during President Donald Trump’s first term and continued under former President Joe Biden with about 2,500 National Guard at the border at the end of his administration he ordered active-duty forces to the mission more than 4,000 have deployed to the border Trump ordered the creation of the military border zones last month to get around laws that prohibit the military from conducting civilian law enforcement A former Fort Bliss soldier was sentenced to more than 27 years in prison after pleading guilty to killing his girlfriend in Juárez the Chihuahua Attorney General's Office said on Wednesday and her body was found dumped in the Anáhuac neighborhood south of downtown Juárez on April 7 Borderland: 'Rage, frustration': El Paso man accused of killing wife in Juárez 'femicide' after affair Luna Villa is believed to be the first U.S Army soldier to be extradited to Mexico on a femicide case Femicide is a term for gender-related killings of women and girls including deadly cases of domestic violence the disappearances and murders of women and girls have been a concern in Juárez The case was investigated by Chihuahua state police and the state attorney general's specialized prosecution unit for gender-related crimes against women with assistance from the U.S Valenzuela's mother chronicled her heartbreaking journey seeking "Justicia para Aylin Valenzuela" in a series of grief-filled TikTok videos my life," Valenzuela's mother stated in Spanish in a TikTok video posted Tuesday showing photos of a teleconference court hearing and a memorial altar for her daughter "Baja, que aquí te estoy esperando," sings a clip in the TikTok video from the sentimental norteño song "La Moneda," (The Coin) Former Fort Bliss soldier convicted of femicide in JuárezLuna Villa was a mortarman with the 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss in El Paso Army after being arrested in September 2023 by the U.S Previously: 'I can't live with this pain': Fort Bliss soldier accused of killing Juárez woman A roommate of Valenzuela told investigators in Mexico that the couple had a volatile relationship and Luna Villa was "very jealous and possessive," stated a criminal complaint filed in U.S Valenzuela had sent to her mother a cell phone selfie showing her smiling while seated inside a vehicle next a man according to her mother's TikTok chronicles Chihuahua state investigators obtained home security camera video showing a man lowering a "bundle" out of the passenger seat of a truck Department of Homeland Security records showed Luna Villa crossing the border back to El Paso at the Bridge of the Americas in a black GMC pickup truck about 70 minutes after the body was dumped arrested Luna Villa as part of the binational investigation he was taken into custody by the Chihuahua State Investigations Agency at the border in the middle of the Stanton Bridge after he waived his extradition to Mexico Daniel Borunda may be reached at dborunda@elpasotimes.com and @BorundaDaniel on X MEXICO (KFOX14/CBS4) — A former Fort Bliss soldier was sentenced to almost 30 years in Mexico for killing his girlfriend and dumping her body in Juarez back in 2023 Chihuahua's State Attorney General's office announced former Fort Bliss soldier Saul Luna Villa was sentenced to 27 years and 4 months in prison for shooting and killing his girlfriend Villa was ordered to pay 1,949,000 pesos in damages Villa will serve his sentence at the CERESO No.3 prison in Juarez RELATED: Mexican judge grants more time for case against Fort Bliss soldier in girlfriend's murder Villa shot Valenzuela at a home in the Anahuac neighborhood in Ciudad Juarez Villa then dumped her at an intersection where Mexican law enforcement later discovered her body law enforcement and extradited to Juarez in a binational operation RELATED: Fort Bliss soldier extradited to Mexico, accused of killing 19-year-old Juarez woman Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox The Pentagon has created a second military zone in the El Paso area that U.S soldiers will patrol as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on people crossing the southern border illegally the military’s Northern Command said the latest military zone will be part of the Fort Bliss Army base in El Paso The military newspaper Stars and Stripes reported that the area stretches about 53 miles east to the border community of Fort Hancock “The establishment of a second National Defense Area increases our operational reach and effectiveness in denying illegal activity along the southern border,” said Gen Last month, the Pentagon designated a 60-foot-wide strip of land along the New Mexico-Mexico border as a military zone. On Monday, federal prosecutors charged more than two dozen migrants with violating security regulations after the U.S. Army spotted the group approaching the area and alerted Border Patrol agents That charge is in addition to the charge of entering the U.S director of the Center for Military Law and Policy at Texas Tech University School of Law and retired U.S said that for more than two centuries the federal government has prohibited the U.S in part because soldiers’ mission isn’t law enforcement the Trump administration has found an ingenious way of using the military for immigration enforcement without asking Congress for permission military is prohibited from conducting civilian law enforcement an exception known as the military purpose doctrine allows it in some cases “Using the military as part of border security reinforces the perception and the narrative that the nation is under some type of invasion,” he said “But the facts contradict the assertion of an invasion because the number of border crossings has been steadily dropping for some time now.” Department of Homeland Security reported encountering 1,627 migrants in the El Paso sector which includes all of New Mexico’s border as well as El Paso and Hudspeth counties in West Texas a policy analyst at the Hope Border Institute an immigrant rights advocacy group in El Paso said the “militarization of our border has long been of great concern here in the borderlands “This escalation is deeply concerning since it not only represents a further step in criminalizing migrants attempting to seek asylum at the border but has the potential to also affect humanitarian aid during a time when migrant deaths in the El Paso Border Patrol Sector have been soaring.” According to federal government data collected by No More Deaths, a migrant aid and advocacy group in Tucson at least 176 migrants died in the El Paso sector in 2024 The federal government documented one migrant death in the sector in 2014 Tickets are on sale now for the 15th annual Texas Tribune Festival Texas’ breakout ideas and politics event happening Nov TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase Choose an amount or learn more about membership Texas — Army engineers have begun removing shrubs and leveling sand on a desolate 60-acre stretch of the base where Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth approved the building of a migrant detention facility Located behind a public transportation park-and-ride site the land had been relatively untouched until Hegseth’s approval March 28 allowed 1st Armored Division engineers to drive bulldozers and heavy equipment through the reddish-brown dunes One section of the land holds a fenced-in collection of abandoned buildings that once hosted a range control site named Site Monitor Those buildings appeared boarded up and in disrepair Thursday The expansion of migrant detention facilities is part of President Donald Trump’s pledge to increase deportations during his second term and crack down on migrants coming to the U.S Trump and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have encouraged migrants to “self deport” before facing arrest More than 100,000 people have been deported since Trump took office Jan the White House told Newsweek magazine last week More than 271,000 were deported during former President Joe Biden’s final year in office The military has also been called on to support immigration enforcement by working with Customs and Border Protection to monitor the U.S border with Mexico and conduct deportation flights Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials will establish and operate temporary soft-sided holding facilities The Pentagon also agreed the Army will manage the contracts for the future detention facilities dubbed the Customs and Border Protection El Paso Central Processing Center The location is near Montana Avenue and George Dieter Drive and already existing Department of Homeland Security facilities The new site could hold up to 8,000 people ICE did not respond Friday to a request for comment on the population of migrants the agency intends to detain at the site or when it could open Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said during a visit to Fort Bliss last month that he had signed off on the agreement because of the post’s proximity to the U.S The west Texas base consists of 1,700 square miles that stretch west into New Mexico Fort Bliss is also supporting the military’s deployment to the southwest border 4th Infantry Division deployed from Fort Carson are using a motor pool and barracks as they monitor the border for people attempting to cross between legal ports of entry Soldiers then report the information to Customs and Border Protection because they are not authorized to conduct law enforcement activities Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Fort Bliss confirmed that the suspect and the victim of a deadly shooting in far east El Paso are soldiers El Paso police arrested 24-year-old Eric Lammarr Mathis in connection with the shooting death of 23-year-old Edward Daquan Smith during a party at the 2100 block of Setting Sun Drive back on February 28 The El Paso Police Department revealed that Mathis was arrested at Fort Bliss Fort Bliss confirmed that both Mathis and Smith are soldiers Mathis is a soldier assigned to the 32nd Army Air and Missile Command while Smith was a soldier of the 1st Armored Division Fort Bliss also said that it cooperates with EPPD as the investigation develops Mathis remains in custody at the El Paso County jail where he was charged with murder under a bond of $1,500,000 As investigators continue to look into what happened the night of the shooting police said it is asking witnesses and people who have information on the murder to come forward either through their non-emergency number 915-832-440 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers of El Paso at 915-566-8477 investigators believe the deadly shooting was triggered by an altercation that ultimately escalated to gunfire Officers who responded to calls of a shooting said that by the time they arrived A surveillance camera from a neighboring home captured the echoing sound of gunshots KFOX14/CBS4 spoke with neighbors in the area who were shocked to hear gunshots in what they consider a quiet neighborhood "I've lived here for a while now there's nothing like this has ever happened at the end of the day," said neighbor Andres Marquez "We went outside to kind of see what happened with the rest of the neighbors that's when PD came in a couple minutes later we found them trying to get them CPR on the side." READ MORE: Deadly shooting shocks quiet Far East El Paso neighborhood Military preparedness at Fort Bliss was bolstered thanks to the latest groundbreaking of its rail yard expansion designed to enhance deployment and readiness Fort Bliss leaders joined members of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar, D-El Paso to break ground on 4.3 miles of additional track built to accommodate 565 rail cars in 72 hours That represents a 40% increase in the freight capacity the post can handle "Fort Bliss is a major power projection platform," said Col "That means we deploy forces across the globe and it's important to our mission This rail expansion will enhance our ability to do that Fort Bliss has a central role in mobilizing and demobilizing soldiers we have about 45,000 to 50,000 mobilizing soldiers." While the construction is slated to last at least two years Yet the plans for such expansion have been the topic of conversation for what Gallagher recalled as a "couple of decades." The move to expand rail lines at the post solidifies its role in the nation's defense strategy "This is being funded through the National Defense Authorization Act This project went through the formal process which is why it took some time to get to this point but we're very excited that it's getting underway and that it will enhance the capabilities of Fort Bliss," Gallagher said Army Corps of Engineers in the Fort Worth District explained that the expansion's official groundbreaking took three years to reach Matar characterized this project as one of the highest mission-critical projects for the U.S Its immediate impact would be on its rapid deployment capabilities "This (project) ensures our military forces are able to mobilize quickly in response to emergencies we're reinforcing our ability to have a strong and agile global presence," Matar said Matar explained that the work to bring the rail expansion to fruition started in May 2022 and involved "planning Fort Bliss rail expansion years in the makingEscobar who sits on the House Appropriations Committee and the Military Construction Subcommittee "Readiness is key to everything the United States military does and the most important facets of that is our people and our assets," Escobar said "Fort Bliss is a premier global installation and in 2019 that's when the greatest advocates for this post brought this project to my attention we'll be sure that we all continue to deliver for Fort Bliss." In August 2022, Escobar hosted then-Under Secretary of the Army and El Paso native Gabe Camarillo on a tour of Fort Bliss and its critical assets Escobar also met with Fort Bliss leadership to discuss the importance of securing funding In 2023, she announced the approved amount of $74 million for the rail yard through the Fiscal Year 2024 National Defense Authorization Act an additional $44 million was earmarked to complete the rail yard at Fort Bliss Kristian Jaime is the Top Story Reporter for the El Paso Times and is reachable at Kjaime@elpasotimes.com A Fort Bliss soldier was arrested for allegedly kidnapping and raping a woman everyday for more than a week in connection with multiple counts of aggravated kidnapping and aggravated sexual assault El Paso County Sheriff's Office officials said Rodriguez is a private stationed at Fort Bliss He is a computer and detection systems repairer assigned to the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command "Fort Bliss is fully cooperating with the (El Paso) District Attorney’s Office and the Army Criminal Division as they continue their investigation," Fort Bliss officials said in a statement No attorney is named in court records for Rodriguez An El Paso grand jury indicted Rodriguez March 6 on 16 kidnapping and sexual assault charges Little details of the allegations against Rodriguez are provided in the indictment The alleged kidnappings and assaults happened between March 2 All of the incidents involve the same woman who is only identified by her initials in court documents Rodriguez allegedly refused to let her go and threatened her with a weapon He allegedly raped the woman everyday between March 2 to March 12 The victim feared for her life as Rodriguez used a weapon to threaten her during the sexual assaults No information was released on whether Rodriguez eventually let the woman leave or if she escaped An arrest warrant was issued for Rodriguez after he was indicted by the grand jury The El Paso County Sheriff's Office Fugitive Apprehension Unit the El Paso District Attorney's Office and the U.S Army Criminal Investigation Division arrested Rodriguez Thursday in connection with the alleged kidnapping and sexual assaults "The strong support and assistance from these partner agencies led to the suspect's arrest," sheriff's officials said "The El Paso County Sheriff's Office remains committed to working closely with all law enforcement agencies to ensure the safety and well-being of the victim and the community of El Paso County." He was booked into the El Paso County Jail on Thursday Rodriguez is scheduled to have an arraignment hearing Wednesday before 409th District Court Judge Sam Medrano Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times He may be reached at amartinez1@elpasotimes.com or on X/Twitter @AMartinezEPT A Fort Bliss soldier was defending himself and a 6-year-old boy when he was wounded in a street gunfight that killed another soldier in a far East El Paso neighborhood 28 outside a house party at a short-term rental home on Setting Sun Drive What occurred on Setting Sun Drive and who was the aggressor differ significantly in the versions described by Mathis' attorney and the police and prosecution his defense attorney Brian Livingston said at a teleconference bond hearing on April 2 “He was lawfully protecting himself as well as (the) 6-year-old .. he considers him his stepson," Livingston said explaining that the child is the son of Mathis' girlfriend Assistant District Attorney Rebecca Tarango at the hearing countered that Mathis and another shooter were the aggressors and Smith was the one protecting himself An El Paso police investigation alleges that Mathis and another shooter — identified only as "Slimy" — killed Smith in a confrontation between soldiers At least one witness claimed that after the initial shots were fired "Slimy" stood over Smith and shot him several times while Smith was on the ground An autopsy by the El Paso County medical examiner found Smith had eight gunshot wounds: two to the head five to the torso and one on the left thigh a criminal complaint filed by a homicide detective stated When interviewed at El Paso Police Department Headquarters after being released from the hospital Mathis told detectives that he was shot at the location but denied having to do anything with the shooting a complaint affidavit filed by the police detective stated The EPPD Public Information Office did not respond to questions regarding whether "Slimy" has been identified and is sought by police Mathis remains jailed at the El Paso County Jail Annex under a $1.5 million bond Magistrate Judge Antonio Aun "split" the bond on April 2 making it a $600,000 cash/surety bond and a $900,000 personal recognizance bond (which requires no money) the judge ordered the conditions of his release to include drug and alcohol testing and no possession of firearms and ammunition outside of his employment with the Army Smith, who was affectionately known as "Quan" by his family, was a native of Chicago, an obituary stated He was the father of two sons and was passionate about writing poetry and rap music Army in 2022 and was with the 1st Armored Division "Quan possessed a radiant smile that illuminated any room and friend was further enhanced by his pure heart," the obituary stated More: El Paso police seeking information on suspicious death, case being investigated as murder is known by the nickname of "Ace," is a weapons mechanic in the U.S Army assigned to the 32nd Army Air and Missile Command at Fort Bliss his attorney and a Fort Bliss spokesman said and attended the University of Toledo before joining the military He served his country," Livingston said of Mathis The complaint document mentions that other active-duty U.S Army soldiers stationed at Fort Bliss were involved in the case An investigation began after El Paso police responded to multiple calls about numerous shots fired at 11:58 p.m Smith was found dead on a sidewalk from multiple gunshot wounds the complaint affidavit filed by a police detective stated Police soon learned that Mathis had been dropped off with a gunshot wound at El Paso Emergency Room East Livingston claimed that a confrontation between Smith and Mathis stemmed from a woman who was in a relationship with Smith but was seeing Mathis on the side "My client (Mathis) had no romantic feelings toward this woman," Livingston added Livingston claimed that Mathis arrived with his girlfriend's 6-year-old son and went to ask Smith about a supposed threat that Smith had made "The decedent (Smith) came to my client’s car My client then backed away from that vehicle," Livingston said Smith then allegedly made "aggressive comments," and “he shot my client before my client ever pulled his firearm." blindly fired and hid behind a vehicle," Livingston said The person known as "Slimy" then shot and "finished" Smith "I don’t know if it's even clear if my client even hit the decedent and then he hid behind a vehicle across the street." Livingston claimed that one of the witnesses was Smith's girlfriend and that after the shooting she grabbed Smith's gun and hid it inside the party house The investigation found there were multiple shots fired by Smith Mathis and "Slimy." Several projectiles were collected from nearby homes and investigators collected spent bullet casings from three different calibers of firearms adding that it appeared to be "a very planned and coordinated attack on the victim" involving people experienced with firearms A witness told police that Smith was confronted by two men with firearms as soon as he arrived and got out of his vehicle Smith appeared confused about the reason for the confrontation Tarango said that Mathis and "Slimy" fired at Smith who returned fire and likely shot and wounded Mathis blood evidenceInvestigators obtained video showing Mathis' maroon-colored Chrysler 300 and a tan-colored Jaguar XF sedan belonging to another soldier departing the area Army Criminal Investigation Division assisted El Paso police with the investigation Another soldier admitted to driving the Chrysler 300 with Mathis and his stepson after the shooting The Chrysler met with the soldier driving the Jaguar XF at a nearby gas station The child and Mathis moved to the Jaguar before Mathis Courts: Man convicted of manslaughter, sentenced in fatal shootout outside Cazadores Cantina in El Paso The vehicles were then driven to the parking lot of the soldier's apartment with the Jaguar XF in the 3300 block of Zion Lane next to Alabama Street in Northeast El Paso The two soldiers attempted to clean the blood from the interior and exterior of the cars Investigators with a search warrant found suspected blood ammunition matching casings at the shooting scene The affidavit stated that investigators conducted a forensic interview with the 6-year-old boy at the Advocacy Center for the Children of El Paso the child told investigators that he saw Mathis with a big gun "Daddy shot the gun," the child is quoted as saying in the affidavit said it was especially disturbing that the young child was present during the violence "Bringing a child with him when he is going to confront a person while armed is just alarming to me," she said Work to begin building a new, massive migrant deportation site at El Paso's Fort Bliss is imminent Driscoll visited Fort Bliss and El Paso on March 25 and 26 where he said that the process to establish the immigration deportation site has received the green light meaning that preparation could begin in the coming days "The process of preparing it and getting it ready to be built out will start to occur any day," Driscoll said "This is such an incredibly important mission We believe to keep the American people safe." Driscoll spoke to reporters during a brief news conference in a meeting room at Million Air El Paso The site will be just off Montana Avenue and George Dieter Drive behind the ICE facility on the periphery of Fort Bliss' federal land The location known as "Site Monitor," Fort Bliss Deputy Committee General Paul Krattiger said The Office of the Secretary of Defense must approve the proposal before construction can begin The Secretary of the Army could not confirm whether the facility would be used for family units Customs and Border Protection and the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency The DHS joint information center did not immediately respond to a request for comment More: Trump administration creating plan to militarize New Mexico border The news of the deportation detention site was first reported by the New York Times in February The site is set to house 10,000 migrants awaiting deportation President Donald Trump has promised to carry out mass deportations and reverse Biden-era immigration policy. These rollbacks include the elimination of Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelans and the end of a separate parole program for Cubans An official website of the United States government Department of Labor today awarded $1,564,526 to help service members and their spouses transitioning from the military to civilian life The funding will ensure impacted workers at and around Fort Bliss have uninterrupted access to needed resources including employment and training services the total amount awarded for the project is now at the full approved threshold of $4,693,580.  This incremental award allows Workforce Solutions Borderplex – one of 28 public workforce development boards in Texas – to continue providing employment and training services to dislocated service members and their spouses in El Paso County.  Supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014, Employment Recovery National Dislocated Worker Grants provide resources for eligible applicants to respond to major economic dislocations and their associated economic impacts including communities experiencing higher than average demand for assistance from service members and spouses transitioning from the military Joint Task Force Southern Border hosted Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth at Fort Bliss to bolster plans to secure the border Hegseth visited Fort Bliss and the border wall, April 25, to highlight the efforts of Department of Defense personnel deployed in support of U.S. Customs and Border Protection. They will work alongside the U.S. Border Patrol personnel to secure "the territorial integrity of the southern border," the Department of Defense noted Joint Task Force Southern Border leads all joint capabilities and the land force commander for operations conducted along the U.S Hegseth previously visited the U.S./Mexico border in February Border Czar Tom Homan joined Hegseth in the Fort Bliss visit and locations along the U.S./Mexico border Both reinforced the Trump administration’s stance that border and national security are one and the same Both noted that the Department of Defense would provide any resources to the Border Patrol such as military personnel from reserve and active-duty troops Hegseth did not disclose the number of additional agents along the border he did confirm that more customs agents would be sent A Fort Bliss soldier was found guilty of keeping an explosive device in his barracks room but acquitted on additional charges that he posted antisemitic comments online saying he wanted to attack synagogues 15 that limited his sentence to five months He pleaded guilty to violating a lawful order against owning any form of a privately owned weapon in the barracks on Sept and using psychedelic drugs at Joint Base Lewis-McChord according to court documents released by the Army last week He did not receive a discharge or forfeiture of pay as part of the deal The charges to which he pleaded not guilty included reckless conduct for storing “incendiary substances and explosives” in his barracks room and for communicating threats through the online platform Discord in February Newberry enlisted as a combat medic in June 2021 6th Infantry Regiment of the 1st Armored Division at the time of his arrest Some of Newberry’s posts on the social media site Discord were included in court records such as “I want to kill everyone I disagree with” and “I am literally a jews [sic] worst nightmare.” Other posts included a derogatory slur toward Black people and one that discouraged others from enlisting in the U.S The court documents were posted to the Army’s online court records system The service has up to 45 days after a court-martial’s results are certified to post related documents for public access who was placed in pretrial confinement Sept was credited with roughly two months of time served for his sentence He served the remainder of his time at a military prison at Lewis-McChord and has been released from confinement He received an other-than-honorable discharge from the Army on March 28 The Army Criminal Investigation Division did not respond Wednesday to questions about their investigation or how the Army discovered Newberry had a bomb in his barracks In a 2022 review of the Pentagon’s efforts the Center for Strategic International Studies said the military should improve its transparency on counter-extremism efforts and focus on gaining buy in from the troops It should also track the scope of the problem in a centralized place The Trump administration is developing a deportation hub at Fort Bliss that could hold up to 10,000 undocumented immigrants, the New York Times reported. Fort Bliss would serve as a model to develop more detention facilities on military sites across the country to make up for a shortfall of space at Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities The plans for the deportation hub are still in the early stages and have not been finalized officials told the New York Times under anonymity Fort Bliss, specifically Biggs Army Airfield has been used for deportation flights in recent weeks Bliss for more information but has not heard back Natassia Paloma may be reached at npaloma@gannett.com @NatassiaPaloma on Twitter; natassia_paloma on Instagram More: 'High-level human smuggler' suspect from Mexico extradited to face US charges in El Paso Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Fort Bliss confirmed the 21-year-old man accused of kidnapping and raping a woman for 10 days is a soldier a computer and detection systems repairer assigned to the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command at Fort Bliss Fort Bliss said it's cooperating with the El Paso District Attorney's Office and the Army Criminal Division as the investigation into the allegations develops Rodriguez allegedly kidnapped a woman for 10 days The indictment reveals the dates of those 13 counts of aggravated assault showing that from March 2 through March 12 of 2024 Rodriguez is being accused of raping the woman at least once every day over a year after the alleged kidnapping happened RELATED: El Paso County authorities arrest fugitive wanted for kidnapping, sexual assault The El Paso County Sheriff's Office's Fugitive Apprehension Unit arrested Rodriguez in collaboration with the District Attorney's Office and the Army Criminal Investigation Division Rodriguez remains jailed under a $ 1,200,000 bond Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — The first flight of migrants to Guantanamo Bay that's according to a post on the social media site X by U.S According to the White House Press Secretary ten Tren De Aragua gang members were on the flight were out of the Biggs Army Airfield in Fort Bliss Escobar commented that the move is an unnecessary use of military resources adding that El Paso can house migrants and apprehensions are down "The use of Guantanamo Bay is predicted to cost hundreds of millions of dollars," Escobar wrote "These measures are nothing more than unnecessary and cruel political theater and a gross misuse of federal funds and military personnel." The Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem posted on X: The city of El Paso provided the following statement: "The City of El Paso has no authority over immigration enforcement or deportation flights as these matters fall under the jurisdiction of the federal government our community remains deeply committed to supporting solutions that prioritize public safety and encourage strong collaboration between local El Paso will continue to work with partners at every level to address the challenges and opportunities posed by migration in a way that reflects our values and commitment to our community." RECOMMENDED: Defense secretary, border czar in El Paso to discuss border troop roles RECOMMENDED: El Paso lawmakers clash over Trump's immigration policies Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Reports of Fort Bliss being used for detention as well as expulsion purposes spark outrage from critics Now it is reportedly being considered for large-scale detention as well as expulsion purposes Opponents of any such plan disapprove of the effect it would have on the armed forces and also condemned it as treating migrants as if they are “reality TV” The Democratic Texas congresswoman Veronica Escobar whose congressional district includes Fort Bliss warned that turning military installations into detention centers would pose a significant threat to the effectiveness of US military forces The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is considering a White House proposal to use military installations to detain undocumented migrants with the west Texas base leading a network of military deportation staging posts created nationwide to supplement limited Immigration and Customs Enforcement (Ice) detention capacity Fort Bliss and Ice directed requests for comment to the DHS Escobar said: “There is no reason to use a military installation We are not in an emergency situation where we are seeing an overwhelming number of people arriving at the border.” She warned the proposal would set back Fort Bliss’s core military responsibilities and readiness by two years by shifting its focus from national defense and military preparedness towards immigration enforcement Her assessment, she said, was based on Fort Bliss’s experience during Operation Allies Welcome, in which the base played a central role in resettling Afghan refugees brought to the US after American troops withdrew from Afghanistan in 2021 under Joe Biden The base was one of eight Department of Defense installations at the time used to temporarily house 75,000 such refugees Fort Bliss turned its Doña Ana Range Complex a military training site located in southern New Mexico military personnel and volunteers cared for 11,400 Afghans awaiting resettlement across the US Temporary housing for deportees at Doña Ana Range Complex near Fort Bliss Photograph: AlamyThis was just one of several previous chapters in recent years when Fort Bliss became an immigration hub – but for people coming into the US The sprawling base in the westernmost corner of Texas is the second largest military base in the US, larger than Rhode Island, backed by the Franklin Mountains in a desert landscape with the city of El Paso, the Rio Grande and the US-Mexico border at its flanks Established in 1848 to defend the new US border after the Mexican war Fort Bliss is now one of the army’s fastest-growing bases with a population of almost 50,000 among full-time military personnel and civilians and home to the First Armored Division which helps US law enforcement with border security The Biden administration used Fort Bliss as an emergency intake shelter from 2021 to 2023 to house thousands of unaccompanied migrant children who had crossed the Mexico border into the US in record numbers overseen by the Department of Health and Human Services’ office of refugee resettlement warehouse-like tents erected at the base until they were reunited with relatives already living in the US or transferred to licensed care facilities Fort Bliss also housed several hundred unaccompanied minor migrants in a temporary shelter at the same complex later used to house the Afghan refugees The Democratic congressman Gabe Vasquez of New Mexico said Trump’s policies were like a “reality TV game of mass deportation” He said: “Our military bases should be prepared to support national security and readiness not serve as processing centers for mass deportations.” advocates foresee legal and human rights risks “Gaining access to immigrants in a military base to try to make sure they have their rights respected that they have access to information that affects them and that there is oversight will be incredibly difficult,” said Marisa Limón Garza executive director of Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center She added that the federal government has designated agencies for immigration matters including Ice and border patrol and said the military was harmful to migrants “Military involvement is a serious mistake,” said Jacob Wedemeyer an attorney from the Estrella del Paso organization a Catholic legal services ministry for migrants “Civil immigration enforcement should remain with DHS and not mix with the military.” On 4 February, the Pentagon began transferring what officials have said are “high threat” detained migrants, described as the “worst of the worst”, in C-17 and C-130 military cargo planes to the US naval base at Guantánamo Bay The first flights took off from Biggs army airfield at Fort Bliss The defense secretary, Pete Hegseth who visited Fort Bliss and the southern border in early February called Guantánamo Bay a “perfect place” to house migrants with criminal records But Ice has been expanding arrest criteria to include anyone in the US without permission A US air force plane with deportees aboard at Fort Bliss Photograph: José Luis González/ReutersLocal migrant advocacy organizations have seen a shift in those being detained at Ice detention centers in El Paso and in Otero county The detention centers had been temporarily containing mostly Venezuelans who crossed the US-Mexico border to request asylum after fleeing the grinding political and economic crisis in their country But in a recent surge there are now also migrants held there from many other countries after being detained during Ice raids all over the US “This indicates there is high pressure on Ice to make arrests of non-citizens with or without permission to be in the United States He currently represents two teen Honduran siblings with no criminal history who were taken into custody by Ice in Las Cruces in January and spent two weeks held at the Otero county processing center before being released They had arrived in El Paso as unaccompanied minors in early 2021 and currently have pending asylum applications allowing them to stay in the US while they await their immigration court hearing a spokesperson for the Border Network for Human Rights said the non-profit had documented cases of Ice raids and arrests of migrants at their workplace during their check-ins at immigration offices and even at the official ports of entry on the border “That’s part of a strategy to create fear within the migrant community to criminalize them and continue with a narrative that does not represent them,” he said Advocates now wonder whether such people will find themselves detained at Fort Bliss before long maybe then to be dispatched out of the US on military planes by the thousand Texas — A Fort Bliss soldier was arrested and charged with shooting and killing another soldier last month at a party in El Paso The El Paso Police Department arrested Spc at the west Texas Army base on Monday and charged him with murder for the death of Pvt Both soldiers were repairers of smalls arms and towed artillery 28 at a party in the 2100 block of Setting Sun Drive within a subdivision on the eastern edge of the city Officers were called to the party for a shooting at about 11:58 p.m A verbal argument had escalated into a shooting and a crowd of people fled before police arrived who is assigned to 32nd Army Air and Missile Command He was listed Thursday as an inmate of the El Paso County Jail with bond set at $1.5 million Smith was a Chicago native who was married with two sons He enlisted in May 2022 and earned the Army Service Ribbon and the National Defense Service Medal He was assigned to the 1st Armored Division “Fort Bliss is fully cooperating with the local law enforcement as they continue their investigation,” said Maj Investigators are asking for anyone with information to call police at 915-832-4400 or Crime Stoppers of El Paso at 915-566-TIPS (8477) Fort Bliss has stepped into a new world of barracks construction Army post provided a tour of new barracks that were constructed with 3D-printed technology are the largest 3D-printed structures in the Western Hemisphere "Each one was printed using a cutting edge 3D-printer from the ground up," Fort Bliss Garrison Commander Col The cream-colored buildings look almost woven together They are made of what the Army refers to as "mold-resistant" materials and are designed to withstand extreme weather and earthquakes The barracks are part of an Army pilot project to improve the quality of life of soldiers while also improving the Army's installations The new barracks will provide housing for up to 72 soldiers More: 6 gates Fort Bliss named for heroes with ties to El Paso, 1st Armored Division U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar was among those in attendance for the ceremony "This is very exciting," U.S. Rep. Veronica Escobar Rep. Escobar has been working in Congress to obtain the funding to improve living conditions at the post and for projects in the El Paso area. She secured $19 million in 2024 $7.2 million dollars of which went to improving housing for soldiers at Fort Bliss More: US troops arrive at Fort Bliss for training ahead of border deployment The unique barracks were developed by the Austin-based ICON construction technology company in collaboration with the Department of Defense's Defense Innovation Unit and the Army "This is the first 3D-printed structure for the Army," Bella Nowland the associate director of ICON's Public Sector Development department "It is emblematic of innovation and the capability of this technology." More: Mexico prepares tents in border cities to receive Mexicans deported from United States It took over a year to build the structures at the post with printers pouring cement back and forth in layers The technology is still developing and the Army has the hopes that future structures will be completed much quicker And there are hopes that that this technology can be brought into warfare theaters and provide quickly built structures for soldiers "Back in the days these would be tents," G-9 Deputy Chief of Staff Lt Jeff Abbott covers the border for The El Paso Times and can be reached at:jdabbott@gannett.com; @palabrasdeabajo on Twitter or @palabrasdeabajo.bsky.social on Bluesky Texas — Army Secretary Dan Driscoll said Wednesday during a visit to Fort Bliss that he approved federal immigration officials to establish a migrant detention facility at the base Sprawling across roughly 1,700 square miles of desert terrain Fort Bliss has vacant land near already existing Department of Homeland Security facilities that will host a building for detention Fort Bliss engineers are standing by to clear the site along Montana Avenue in El Paso near a Border Patrol station and an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility with a capacity to hold up to 2,000 detainees The new facility at Fort Bliss will allow for another 8,000 migrants to be detained at the base But the site would not be managed or operated by the Army Plans for the site have circulated among the media but had not yet officially been confirmed by the Army An analysis conducted after housing Afghan migrants at the base found pulling soldiers and equipment from their mission to work this immigration-related mission set back readiness by two years “There’s no reason to use a military installation We are not in an emergency situation where we’re seeing an overwhelming number of people arriving at the border,” she said People crossing between legal ports of entry peaked in December 2023 with federal agents recording nearly 302,000 migrants according to Customs and Border Protection with the agency reporting more than 61,000 migrant crossings in January and slightly more than 11,700 in February Previously military personnel could only use stationary detection and monitoring equipment in support of Border Patrol agents var(--popover-size));border-radius:var(--chakra-radii-l3);--popover-z-index:var(--chakra-z-index-popover);z-index:calc(var(--popover-z-index) + var(--layer-index 0));outline:0;transform-origin:var(--transform-origin);max-height:var(--available-height);--popover-padding:var(--chakra-spacing-5);}.css-1v5f30s:is([open] [data-state=open]){transform-origin:var(--transform-origin);-webkit-animation-name:scale-in,fade-in;animation-name:scale-in,fade-in;-webkit-animation-duration:var(--chakra-durations-fast);animation-duration:var(--chakra-durations-fast);}.css-1v5f30s:is([closed] @layer recipes{.css-3n6tnx{padding-top:var(--chakra-spacing-4);border-top-style:solid;border-top-width:1px;border-top-color:var(--components-article-header-hero-divider-border-color 0.15));}@media screen and (min-width: 80rem){.css-3n6tnx{padding-top:var(--chakra-spacing-6);}}}@layer recipes{.css-10yri1v{color:var(--semantics-text-paragraph-primary-color 2:18 PM EST@layer recipes{.css-107anqq{font-family:var(--chakra-fonts-body);color:var(--components-article-header-hero-author-text-color);font-size:var(--chakra-font-sizes-xs);line-height:1;width:-webkit-fit-content;width:-moz-fit-content;width:fit-content;}html.teamusa-theme .css-107anqq{text-transform:uppercase;}@media screen and (min-width: 80rem){.css-107anqq{font-size:var(--chakra-font-sizes-md);line-height:md;}}}by Gary Abbott One of wrestling’s traditionally classic events the 2025 Armed Forces Wrestling Championships Stout Physical Fitness Center at Fort Bliss The competition will feature dual meet competition in freestyle wrestling and Greco-Roman between branches of the Armed Forces under the management of Armed Forces Sports This year marks the return of a team from the U.S There have also been athletes from the Space Force and the Coast Guard in this event where the three military teams compete against each other The results of these dual meets determine the final team standings Individual gold and silver medalists are also recognized in each weight class based upon the results at that weight class in the dual meets Army was the champion in both Greco-Roman and freestyle at the 2024 Armed Forces Championships Air Force Academy outside of Colorado Springs In both men’s freestyle and in Greco-Roman Preliminary rosters have been turned in by each team There are many new athletes on the team rosters this year as well as some veteran stars who have done well in previous Armed Forces Championships with 2012 Olympian SGT Ellis Coleman (65 kg) competing in freestyle and 2020 Olympian SGT Ildar Hafizov (63 kg) competing in Greco-Roman and 2024 Olympian SPC Kamal Bey (82 kg) competing in both freestyle and Greco-Roman Hafizov and Bey have been on past Senior World Teams in Greco-Roman SGT Xavier Johnson (67 kg) and SPC Spencer Woods (97 kg) Bey and SPC Timothy Young (97 kg) were double champions 2024 World Military champion Adaugo Nwachukwu (62 kg) will compete in women’s freestyle with only two athletes who competed last season SMSgt Donald Degarmo will return and is competing at 130 kg in Greco-Roman Marine Corps team is back and features a number of athletes who have competed in previous Armed Forces Championships 125 kg FS) won both styles in the 2023 Armed Forces Championships and was the 2024 Armed Forces Greco-Roman champion Others who have won medals in past Armed Forces Championships are Sgt Marciano Ali (77 kg) and Capt Terrence Zaleski (87 kg) When teams bring women’s freestyle wrestlers Information on when these women’s freestyle matches will be held will be announced when available Event results will be posted live on USA Bracketing, with the live steam hosted on Armed Forces Sports You Tube Channel. Spectators are encouraged and admission is free. Visitors without a military ID card can get a Visitor’s Pass at one of the Visitor Control Centers at either Buffalo Soldier Gate or Chaffe Gate. Please see graphic at the bottom of this article for more information on how to have access to the competition. 2025 ARMED FORCES WRESTLING CHAMPIONSHIPSAt Fort Bliss, Texas U.S. Army RosterGreco-Roman55kg/121.2 lbs. – SPC William Sullivan (Fort Carson, CO)60kg/132.2 lbs. – SPC Dalton Roberts (Fort Carson, CO) 63kg/138.8 lbs. – SGT Ildar Hafizov (Fort Carson, CO)67kg/147.7 lbs. – SGT Xavier Johnson (Fort Carson, CO) 72kg/158.7 lbs. – SPC Alston Nutter (Fort Carson, CO) 77kg/169.7 lbs. – SGR Britton Holmes (Fort Carson, CO) 82kg/180.7 lbs. – SPC Kamal Bey (Fort Carson, CO)87kg/191.8 lbs. – SPC Spencer Woods (Fort Carson, CO) 97kg/213.8 lbs. – SPC Timothy Young (Fort Carson, CO) 130kg/286.6 lbs. – SPC James Hustoles (Marquette Armory, MI)Men’s Freestyle61kg/134.4 lbs. – SGT Clarence Arrington (Fort Stewart, CO)65kg/143.3 lbs. – SGT Ellis Coleman (Fort Carson, CO) 70kg/154.3 lbs. – SPC Alston Nutter (Fort Carson, CO) 74kg/163.1 lbs. – PFC Justus Scott (Fort Carson, CO)79kg/174.1 lbs. – CPT Robert Moretz (Fort Meade, MD) 86kg/189.5 lbs. – SPC Kamal Bey (Fort Carson, CO)92kg/202.8 lbs. – 2LT Michial Foy (Fort Carson, CO) 97kg/213.8 lbs. – SPC Timothy Young (Fort Carson, CO)125kg/275.5 lbs. – SPC James Hustoles (Marquette Armory, MI)Women’s Freestyle 57 kg/125.5 lbs. – SGT Areanna Villaescusa (Fort Carson, CO) 59 kg/130 lbs. – SGT Bridgette Duty (196th RTI, CO) 62 kg/136.5 lbs. – SPC Adaugo Nwachukwu (Fort Carson, CO) DelegationGreco-Roman Coach – SFC Spenser Mango (Fort Carson, CO) Freestyle Coach – Shon Lewis (Fort Carson, CO) Service Rep – Joseph Belt (San Antonio, TX) 55kg/121.2 lbs. – SrA Bruce Trimm (Wright Patterson AFB, OH)60kg/132.2 lbs. – SSgt Nathaniel Johnson (Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ) 63kg/138.8 lbs. – SSgt Cameron Wyka (Tinker AFB, OK)67kg/147.7 lbs. – A1C Duncan Nelson (JBSA Lackland, TX) 72kg/158.7 lbs. – SrA Michael Valney (Aviano AB, Italy)77kg/169.7 lbs. – SrA Angel Romo (Vandenberg SFB, CA) 82kg/180.7 lbs. – A1C Sean Astorino (Little Rock AFB, AR)87kg/191.8 lbs. – A1C Anthony Salas (Moron AB, Spain) 97kg/213.8 lbs. – SSgt Christopher Richardson (Sheppard AFB, TX)130kg/286.6 lbs. – SMSgt Donald Degarmo (Maxwell AFB, AL)Men’s Freestyle57kg/125.6 lbs. – SrA Bruce Trimm (Wright Patterson AFB, OH)61kg/134.4 lbs. – SSgt Nathaniel Johnson (Davis-Monthan AFB, AZ) 65kg/143.3 lbs. – SSgt Cameron Wyka (Tinker AFB, OK) 70kg/154.3 lbs. – SrA Jetterias Dudley (Nellis AFB, NV) 74kg/163.1 lbs. – SrA Michael Valney (Aviano AB, Italy)79kg/174.1 lbs. – SrA Angel Romo (Vandenberg SFB, CA) 86kg/189.5 lbs. – A1C Jacob Viera (Kirtland AFB, NW) 92kg/202.8 lbs. – A1C Anthony Salas (Moron AB, Spain)97kg/213.8 lbs. – SSgt Christopher Richardson (Sheppard AFB, TX)125kg/275.5 lbs. – MSgt Ryan Pruett (Fort Belvoir, VA)Women’s Freestyle 50 kg/110 lbs. – SSgt Mariah Anderson (USAF Academy, CO) 53 kg/116.6 lbs. – SSgt Joy McCracken (Great Falls ANGB, MT) 57 kg/125.5 lbs. – A1C Madison Hodges (Little Rock AFB, AR) 59 kg/130 lbs. – A1C Claire Betz (Offut AFB, NE) 62 kg/136.5 lbs. – SrA Olivia Flores (McConnell AFB, KS) 65 kg/143 lbs. – A1C Grace Dolan (Aviano AB, Italy) 68 kg/149.6 lbs. – A1C Mirhoslaba Zetina Diego (Aviano AB, Italy) 72 kg/158.4 lbs. – A1C Piper Penny-Hall (F.E. Warren AFB, WY) DelegationGreco-Roman/Freestyle Coach – SMSgt Daric Buttrick (Pease ANGB, NH) Men’s & Freestyle Coach - SMSgt Donald Degarmo (Maxwell AFB, AL) Medical – Capt. Michael Stringer (JBSA Lackland, TX) Ad Libitum – Jamie Depinet (Wright-Patterson, OH) OIC – Kevin Ball (Wright-Patterson, OH)Service Rep. – TSgt Michael Brown (JBSA Lackland, TX) 55kg/121.2 lbs. – SSgt Joshua Medina (Colts Neck, NJ)60kg/132.2 lbs. – LCpl Isaiah Serena (San Antonio, TX) 63kg/138.8 lbs. – LCpl Warren Stanfield (Camp Lejeune, NC)67kg/147.7 lbs. – SSgt Gerald Guzmanmiranda (Colts Neck, NJ) 72kg/158.7 lbs. – Cpt Alexis Carbajal (Camp Lejeune, NC)77kg/169.7 lbs. – Sgt Marciano Ali (Camp Pendleton, CA) 82kg/180.7 lbs. – SSgt Ian Mills (Quantico, VA)87kg/191.8 lbs. – Capt. Terrence Zaleski (Harrisburg, PA) 130kg/286.6 lbs. – Capt Courtney Freeman (Colorado Springs, CO)Men’s Freestyle57kg/125.6 lbs. – SSgt Joshua Medina (Colts Neck, NJ)61kg/134.4 lbs. – LCpl Isaiah Serena (San Antonio, TX) 65kg/143.3 lbs. – LCpl Warren Stanfield (Camp Lejeune, NC) 70kg/154.3 lbs. – SSgt Gerald Guzmanmiranda (Colts Neck, NJ) 74kg/163.1 lbs. – Cpt Alexis Carbajal (Camp Lejeune, NC)79kg/174.1 lbs. – Sgt Marciano Ali (Camp Pendleton, CA) 86kg/189.5 lbs. – SSgt Ian Mills (Quantico, VA) 92kg/202.8 lbs. – Capt. Terrence Zaleski (Harrisburg, PA)125kg/275.5 lbs. – Capt Courtney Freeman (Colorado Springs, CO)Delegation Greco-Roman/Freestyle Coach – Rob Hermann (Gulf Breeze, FL) Greco-Roman Coach – Capt. Jamel Johnson (Camp Lejeune, NC) Service Rep. – Capt. Miles Coats (Quantico, VA) 30 min. after First Session Ends – Greco-Roman Second Session 30 min. after First Session Ends – Freestyle Second Session 55kg/121.2 lbs. – PFC William Sullivan (U.S. Army) 60kg/132.2 lbs. – SPC Dalton Duffield (U.S. Army) 63kg/138.8 lbs. – SPC Dalton Roberts (U.S. Army) 67kg/147.7 lbs. - 2LT Peter Ogunsanya (U.S. Army) 72kg/158.7 lbs. – SGT Ellis Coleman (U.S. Army) 77kg/169.7 lbs. – PFC Justus Scott (U.S. Army) 82kg/180.7 lbs - SPC Kamal Bey (U.S. Army) 87kg/191.8 lbs. – GySgt John Stefanowicz (U.S. Navy) 97kg/213.8 lbs. – SPC Timothy Young (U.S. Army) 130kg/286.6 lbs. - Capt Courtney Freeman (U.S. Navy) 2024 Armed Forces Men’s Freestyle champions 57kg/125.6 lbs. – SrA Mitch Brown (U.S. Air Force) 61kg/134.4 lbs. – SPC Dalton Duffield (U.S. Army) 65kg/143.3 lbs. – 2d Lt Sidney Flores (U.S. Air Force) 70kg/154.3 lbs. – PFC Justus Scott (U.S. Army) 74kg/163.1 lbs. – Capt Gerald McGinty (U.S. Air Force) 79kg/174.1 lbs. – SPC Kamal Bey (U.S. Army) 86kg/189.5 lbs. – GySgt John Stefanowicz (U.S. Navy) 92kg/202.8 lbs. – SPC Timothy Young (U.S. Army) 97kg/213.8 lbs. – SSgt Diante Cooper (U.S. Air Force) 125kg/275.5 lbs. – 1LT Jermiah Imonode (U.S. Army) 2024 Armed Forces Women’s Freestyle champions 57 kg/125.5 lbs. – SPC Abigail Nette (U.S. Army) [data-focus]){outline-width:var(--focus-ring-width 2px);outline-offset:var(--focus-ring-offset solid);outline-color:var(--focus-ring-color);outline:none;}.css-puhhl:is(:focus-visible [data-focus-visible]){box-shadow:none;outline-width:3px;outline-style:solid;outline-color:var(--semantics-focus-light);outline-offset:3px;}.css-puhhl:visited{color:var(--components-rte-light-link-color);}.css-puhhl:visited.css-puhhl:visited:is(:active [data-state=open]){color:var(--components-rte-light-link-color-active);}@media (hover: hover){.css-puhhl:visited:is(:hover [data-disabled]){color:var(--components-rte-light-link-color-hover);}}.css-puhhl.css-puhhl:is(:active [data-state=open]){color:var(--components-rte-light-link-color-active);}@media (hover: hover){.css-puhhl:is(:hover Texas — A Fort Bliss soldier was arrested and charged with holding a woman hostage and sexually assaulting her at knifepoint and gunpoint every day for 10 days was taken into custody by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office on March 21 and remained in the county’s jail Wednesday with bond set at $1.2 million His 16-count indictment listed charges of aggravated sexual assault aggravated kidnapping causing bodily injury kidnapping with sexual abuse and kidnapping with a deadly weapon All the charges are dated between March 2-12 at an unnamed location where she was unlikely to be found He threatened to kill her if she tried to leave and wielded a knife He is charged with raping her once every day that he held her hostage with exception to the second day he is charged with raping the woman three times “Fort Bliss is fully cooperating with the District Attorney’s Office and the Army Criminal Division as they continue their investigation,” according to a statement from the Army base Rodriguez is a computer and detection systems repairer assigned to the 32nd Army Air and Missile Defense Command Fort Bliss and county officials did not provide additional details and a lawyer was not yet listed to represent Rodriguez His arraignment hearing is scheduled for April 9 U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will be visiting troops in El Paso, according to a post by Hegseth on X Hegseth announced his visit to the southern border, along with Joint Task Force North a joint service command comprised of active-duty and reserve soldiers based in Fort Bliss Joint Task Force North said Hegseth will visit Fort Bliss on Monday 3 and the local area "to see the efforts of military men and women are undertaking in support of U.S Customs and Border Protection activities to secure the border." Hegseth addressed sending troops to the border on Jan days after the former Fox News host and Army veteran was confirmed More: El Paso, Juárez border nervous as Mexico, Canada retaliate against Trump tariffs is now home to the Department of Defense’s first 3D-printed barracks “We’re here today because many people dreamed of new ideas and said ‘Why not?’ and that’s why we’re delivering this state-of-the-art facility to the Army today,” Lt the Army’s deputy chief of staff of installations The new barracks was a collaboration between the Army and Texas-based robotics and advanced materials startup ICON. It feature three buildings across two new sites, and each building is 5,700 square feet, according to an Army news release. Two buildings are in the Pershing Heights area and one is at Camp McGregor on the Fort Bliss Training Complex in New Mexico who served with the 1st Armored Division at Fort Bliss from 2008 to 2010 as the 121st Brigade Support Battalion commander after the division headquarters moved to El Paso called the area “one of the warmest and most welcoming communities I had ever been a part of in my 38 years of service both as an enlisted soldier and a commissioned officer.” The 3D-printed facilities initially will house troops deploying to Fort Bliss in support of the installation’s Mobilization Force Generation Installation mission. Each of the barracks buildings can house up to 56 soldiers Mobilization Force Generation Installations are installations that support units as they prepare to deploy and after they return from their mobilization Fort Bliss processes and trains about 70,000 service members annually with support from Army Reserve and National Guard units that deploy to Fort Bliss for annual rotations The 3D-printed barracks program is part of the Army’s larger efforts to improve soldiers’ quality of life The Army also has invested in family and privatized housing across 50 Army installations refined its hiring at child development centers and increased bonuses the facility was designed using computer-aided design software before it was virtually sliced and rejoined the barracks were built with a 3D printer using a concrete material that can be tailored to local environmental conditions The new barracks embrace the “spirit of evolution” at Fort Bliss “Fort Bliss is not only a military installation; it’s a cornerstone of our nation’s defense and a symbol of resilience and enduring commitment to our nation—a place of growth and transformation,” he said it’s fitting that we gather here today to open new barracks that embody the same spirit of evolution and progress.” The AUSA Book Program offers quality books about Army heritage One of its goals is to foster an understanding of the emerging security environment This program permits AUSA members to purchase these titles at a discounted rate Visit AUSA Books Program Phone: 703-841-4300 Member Services: 1-855-246-6269 Tech Support: 703-907-2600 Email: membersupport@ausa.org © 2025 Association of the United States Army This work, U.S. Army Veterans Hunt on Ft. Bliss, by SSG Wheeler Brunschmid, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright who enlisted in the segregated military during World War II and became one of the first Black two-star generals in the U.S Of the 62 promoted at that time by President Richard Nixon at the Fort Bliss National Cemetery at 5200 Fred Willson Ave. His family and those in attendance witnessed the ceremonial firing of canons befitting his rank a 21-gun salute and a eulogy from a military chaplain made his home in El Paso in 1976 to continue his military career at Fort Bliss He was 100 years old and a veteran of World War II Greer is survived by his son Michael Edward Greer MD (husband Steve Bryant; former wife Pamela Greer-Walker passed away in 2021 and was also laid to rest at Fort Bliss National Cemetery spoke of a man who was a kind example of leadership recalling how he became a pillar of the community through his charitable work He also underscored how his father advocated for other black troops experiencing the hardships he faced you'll pass through this turn' and he said he loved us all," Michael said His son also noted that his father loved the El Paso community which was most evident when he was offered a chance to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia saying he wanted to be buried in El Paso at the same location as his wife and one of his children "We didn't know all the hardships he went through Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll visited Fort Bliss Wednesday to evaluate border operations and meet with servicemembers and leadership from Joint Task Force North The visit is part of President Trump's initiative to strengthen efforts against illegal immigration along the southern border Driscoll engaged with soldiers stationed at the border and those preparing for global deployment He expressed concerns about the current state of the defense industrial base "Our defense industrial base is broken We are not gonna be able to keep up," Driscoll said "The President and Secretary of Defense are incredibly focused on reinvigorating that." Driscoll also met with troops from the Army’s 1st Armored Division and the 32nd Air and Missile Defense Command His visit follows the recent dismissal of General Charles Brown Jr. the nation’s highest-ranking military officer which occurred on the same day Brown visited Fort Bliss This work, 41st Engineer Battalion deployed to the southern border, by PFC Sean Hoch, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso police arrested a 34-year-old Army sergeant from Fort Bliss on Wednesday for sexually abusing a 12-year-old for over six months According to an arrest report by the El Paso Police Department Jasery Manglona Muna is facing charges in connection to the sexual abuse of a teenager that happened from June 11 The report describes a forensic interview where the 12-year-old victim described the alleged abuse to an interviewer at the Advocacy Center for the Children of El Paso the victim described how Muna would allegedly grope them and have sex with them at least once a week for several months A spokesperson for Fort Bliss confirmed Muna is an infantryman assigned to the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team They said the 1st Armored Division is cooperating with authorities as the investigation develops Muna was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility with a $200,000 split bond This is a developing story; check back for updates RECOMMENDED: Three men arrested in El Paso for following and robbing 78-year-old man after bank visit RECOMMENDED: El Paso man accused of 2024 kidnapping arrested again, now faces rape charges Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — El Paso police are investigating a murder near Fort Bliss-- the 7th of 2025 officers discovered a dead man on the 4000 block of Fillmore Avenue after responding to a welfare check Police said detectives with the Crimes Against Persons Unit conducted the investigation and ruled the death "suspicious." RECOMMENDED: El Paso man sentenced to 25 years for deadly 2021 bar parking lot shooting authorities are asking you to call them at 915-212-4040 or Crime Stoppers of El Paso at 915-566-8477 if you wish to remain anonymous this is the 7th murder of 2025 compared to five murders at this time in 2024 RECOMMENDED: Man acquitted in father's stabbing death in South Central El Paso Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox A former Fort Bliss soldier "obsessed" with a 14-year-old girl was sentenced to more than eight years in federal prison for sexual abuse of a minor Carlos Humberto Richard Walsh was sentenced to eight years and four months in prison on one count of sexual abuse of a minor Attorney's Office for the Western District of Texas officials said He also was sentenced to five years of supervised release after he serves his prison term Guaderrama handed down the sentence Wednesday A restitution hearing in the case is set for March 27 13 as part of a plea agreement with federal prosecutors More: Prosecutor: Fort Bliss soldier obsessed with 14-year-old sexual abuse victim He has remained jailed since May 25, 2023, after a federal magistrate judge ruled he was a danger to the victim and the community Walsh was a private first class with the 1st Armored Division and stationed at Fort Bliss at the time of the sexual abuse Walsh had sex with the 14-year-old girl four or five times in a barracks at Fort Bliss federal prosecutor Sarah Valenzuela said during a June 1 The sexual abuse of the girl happened between Oct Army Criminal Investigation Division started an investigation after a commanding officer saw Walsh and the girl on post near the barracks a Homeland Security Investigations agent testified during the detention hearing Walsh was living with the girl in a private room at the barracks on Fort Bliss He continuously attempted to reach the girl through text and social media messages Walsh violated a military protective order which forbade him from contacting the girl More: Fort Bliss soldier arrested, accused of sexually abusing young girl on military post Homeland Security Investigations began an investigation of its own after agents found the girl with another man who was prostituting her Agents connected the girl to Walsh through the girl's phone The girl told agents the relationship was consensual but she felt Walsh was pressuring her to have sex  Walsh had an "obsessive nature with the minor victim," Valenzuela said 2023 — four days before his arrest — staring into a camera with text over the video stating "Show the tattoo you got when you lost that special one," the agent testified He took off his shirt and showed a tattoo on his chest with the initials of the victim with a heart around it Walsh posted photos of the tattoo on April 15 a piece of you will be with me wherever I go." Aaron Martinez covers the criminal justice system for the El Paso Times government has begun utilizing military aircraft to deport migrants with the first flights departing from Biggs Army Air Field to Guatemala on Thursday evening according to a Department of Homeland Security official Tony Gonzales 80 Guatemalan nationals were deported from Fort Bliss on Thursday White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt shared images on Friday showing migrants lined up The migrants had recently crossed the border and were in Border Patrol custody This development follows the deployment of four aircraft to San Diego and El Paso earlier this week to support repatriation efforts RECOMMENDED; US active duty troops begin to arrive in Texas and San Diego to support border security Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily in your inbox. Wind gusts of 30+ mph along with afternoon and evening blowing dust, could reduce visibility. Weather MapsRadarMore troops arrive at Fort Bliss to support border operations amid immigration crackdownby Mark Baugh TX - KFOX14/CBS4 — More troops arrived in Fort Bliss in support of ongoing border operations Saturday afternoon Army officials did not share how many troops arrived at the Biggs Army Airfield This is the second arrival of troops in El Paso this week the Pentagon announced that 1.500 troops would be sent to the southern border in El Paso and San Diego The deployment was in response to President Donald Trump's executive orders cracking down on immigration the additional 1,500 troops would be added to the current total of 2,500 National Guard and Reserve troops already stationed at the border RECOMMENDED:Military aircraft used in deportations stir debate in El Paso Sign up to receive the top interesting stories from in and around our community once daily to your inbox Cast your votes for the 2025 DefenseScoop 50 — voting is open through April 18 The Defense Department announced Monday that Hughes Network Systems has received a $6.5 million contract to develop an Open Radio Access Network (O-RAN) prototype at Fort Bliss that will test and evaluate advanced 5G capabilities for military applications Hughes will install 5G O-RAN equipment at the base that will operate a temporary network for preliminary evaluation The network will eventually transition to the company’s commercial network in order to support both Pentagon and commercial customers in and around the military installation The project will be a joint effort between the Army the Pentagon’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering “The Open RAN project at Fort Bliss is a valuable opportunity for the DoD to explore the enhanced command and control capabilities that near-real time control of the RAN offers DoD,” Anthony Smith “The DoD CIO will continue to prioritize the deployment of Open RAN architectures and 5G across the Department leveraging these information communications technologies for strategic warfighter advantage.” Advancing 5G communications capabilities for military applications has been a key priority for the Pentagon’s FutureG office in recent years While current radio access networks use standalone hardware and software platforms O-RAN is a multi-vendor solution that separates the software and hardware and allows for different vendors to simultaneously operate on the same network The capability would offer “increased functionality and scalability of 5G wireless networks incorporation of artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) into DoD systems and greater flexibility in acquiring or replacing the software and hardware used in military equipment,” a department press release stated The project at Fort Bliss will serve as the testing ground for development of a RAN Intelligent Controller (RIC) — a software component that optimizes the radio access network The effort is expected to lay foundations for O-RAN installation at other military locations while also establishing a training site for staff “The primary use case that the Fort Bliss prototype will test through the RIC is the ability to rapidly change spectrum at the 5G control node a capability that has real world relevance to resilient communications for a mobile command post,” per the release The new prototype effort follows a number of O-RAN technology pilots kickstarted by the Pentagon’s FutureG office in 2023 which allowed the department to work with companies and understand how open networks and software approaches can improve communication capabilities for warfighters Hughes has previously worked with the Defense Department in advancing wireless technology for service members The company received a contract in 2022 to deploy a standalone 5G network at the Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in Washington which established the first 5G O-RAN network at a U.S Hughes received a follow-on extension contract to continue 5G deployment at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam in Hawaii This work, New Intrepid Spirit Center for Fort Bliss, last to be built for NICoE, by SSG Lauren Feick, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright