Pete Hegseth authorizes DHS to test ‘heat ray’ at US-Mexico border

Memo allows temporary loan of military-grade Active Denial System for border operations

By LineZotpaper

Published22 October 2026

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US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth has signed a memo authorizing the Department of Homeland Security to test the Active Denial System, a non-lethal weapon that projects an energy beam causing an intense burning sensation, for potential use at the southern border, according to a memo obtained by CNN.

The Active Denial System, often described as a “heat ray,” uses millimeter-wave technology to produce a sensation of intense heat on the skin, causing an involuntary reaction such as ducking or running. The feeling is temporary, lasting between 10 and 15 minutes, according to Pentagon officials.

Hegseth’s memo, first reported by CNN, permits a seven-month loan of the system starting in September, with the option for DHS to request an extension. The memo states that DHS will be solely responsible for the system’s use and that no Department of Defense personnel will operate it.

A Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said in a statement the agency is “continually evaluating new technology, especially technology that can save lives while simultaneously enhancing national security effectiveness.” The Pentagon referred questions to DHS, which provided the CBP statement.

The exact purpose of the test is unclear, but the memo allows DHS to use the system for operations at the US-Mexico border. The military first deployed the Active Denial System in Afghanistan nearly 20 years ago but returned it without ever using it.

During the first Trump administration, officials considered using the system in 2018 to deter migrants and again in 2020 to disperse protests in Washington DC after the killing of George Floyd, though it was never deployed on either occasion.

Analysis

Why This Matters

The test could mark the first operational use of a controversial non-lethal weapon on the US border, raising questions about its effect on migrants and asylum seekers.
The decision signals a potential escalation in enforcement technology at a politically sensitive location.
Civil liberties advocates have previously objected to using military-grade crowd-control weapons on civilians.

Background

The Active Denial System was developed by the US military as a non-lethal directed-energy weapon. It emits a 95-gigahertz beam that penetrates about 1/64th of an inch into the skin, creating a burning sensation. The Pentagon has described the feeling as similar to opening a hot oven. In 2012, the Marine Corps declared the system compliant with international legal obligations. It has been considered multiple times in recent years but never deployed operationally.

Key Perspectives

DHS and CBP: The agencies frame the test as part of routine evaluation of new technology that could save lives and improve security. Previous administration efforts: The Trump White House sought the system for border control in 2018 and for protest dispersal in 2020, but it was never used in either context. Critics: The weapon has drawn scrutiny from human rights groups who argue that directing intense heat at people, even temporarily, could be dangerous and that its use on vulnerable populations raises ethical and legal concerns.

What to Watch

Whether DHS issues a public operational plan or rules of engagement for the system.
Potential legal challenges from civil rights organizations if deployment proceeds.
Updates from DHS on the results of the test after the seven-month loan period.

Sources

Pete Hegseth reportedly authorizes DHS to test ‘heat ray’ at US-Mexico border · World news | The Guardian

Checked

9 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 6 supported.

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SupportedA CBP spokesperson said the agency is “continually evaluating new technology, especially technology that can save lives while simultaneously enhancing national security effectiveness.”World news | The Guardian: “A spokesperson for Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said in a statement it was “continually evaluating new technology, especially technology that can save lives while simultaneously enhancing national security effectiveness””
SupportedHegseth authorized DHS to test the Active Denial System for potential use at the southern border.World news | The Guardian: “Pete Hegseth, the US secretary of defense, reportedly signed a memo last month permitting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to test a non-lethal “heat ray” for potential use at the US southern border.”
SupportedThe memo provides a temporary seven-month loan beginning in September, and DHS can request further use.World news | The Guardian: “Hegseth authorized a “temporary loan” of the Active Denial System to the DHS for seven months beginning in September. The DHS can request further use of the Pentagon system if needed.”
SupportedThe Active Denial System uses millimeter-wave technology to cause intense heat on the skin and can prompt reflexive movement such as ducking or running.World news | The Guardian: “The “heat ray”, known as the Active Denial System, is a military-grade weapon that shoots an energy beam causing “a sensation of intense heat on the surface of the skin” ... The sensation “creates an intolerable sensation and reflexive movement” such as ducking or running.”
Partly supportedThe sensation lasts between 10 and 15 minutes, according to Pentagon officials.World news | The Guardian: “Pentagon officials have compared the feeling to a blast of heat when opening a hot oven, according to CNN. The feeling is temporary, lasting between 10 and 15 minutes.”
SupportedThe memo makes DHS solely responsible for the system’s use and says no Department of Defense personnel will operate it.World news | The Guardian: “The new memo, seen by CNN, states that the DHS will be solely responsible for the system’s “employment, use and development of tactics, techniques and procedures”. It also states that no Department of Defense personnel shall operate it.”
Partly supportedThe memo permits DHS to use the system for operations at the US-Mexico border, though the exact purpose is unclear.World news | The Guardian: “It is unclear what the DHS plans to use the Active Denial System for exactly, but the memo permits the department to use it for potential operations at the US-Mexico border.”
Partly supportedThe US military first deployed the system in Afghanistan nearly 20 years ago, then returned it without using it.World news | The Guardian: “The US military initially brought the system to Afghanistan nearly 20 years ago, but it was quickly returned home without ever being used, the Washington Post reported.”
SupportedDuring the first Trump administration, officials sought to use the system in 2018 to stop migrants crossing the border and in 2020 to control protests in Washington DC after George Floyd’s killing; it was not deployed on those occasions.World news | The Guardian: “During the first Trump administration, officials sought to use the Active Denial System, first in 2018 to stop migrants from crossing the border, the New York Times reported. Later, in 2020, the administration also sought it to control protests in Washington DC after the killing of George Floyd, the Washington Post reported.”