Pentagon Loans Military Heat Ray to DHS for Border Testing
The Department of Homeland Security will test a military-grade heat ray weapon for crowd dispersal along the U.S.-Mexico border following authorization from the Pentagon.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authorized the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to test the Active Denial System (ADS), a military-grade nonlethal heat ray, for potential deployment along the U.S.-Mexico border. A memo signed by Hegseth grants a temporary seven-month loan of one system starting in September to allow DHS to develop tactics, techniques, and procedures.
The weapon emits an invisible electromagnetic beam that causes an intense burning sensation on the skin, creating an "instinctive and irresistible urge to run from the effect." While the DHS request did not specify exact testing locations, officials from U.S. Customs and Border Protection have previously discussed using the system for crowd dispersal. The memo explicitly prohibits Pentagon personnel from operating the device, leaving DHS solely responsible for its employment.
This authorization follows a previous attempt to deploy the system in 2018, which was blocked by then-Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen. Past objections centered on humanitarian and legal concerns, specifically the risk of treating migrants as "enemy combatants" and potential sovereignty issues if the beam affected individuals still in Mexico. Additional concerns include the risk of indirect harm, such as targets drowning in rivers while fleeing the weapon's effects.
