War Secretary Pete Hegseth has approved testing of a military heat ray for potential use at the southern border, a non-lethal system that produces an intense burning sensation to deter illegal crossings.
DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin discussed the potential use of such tools on Fox News with Laura Ingraham, saying the department is pursuing any available technology that can discourage illegal entry.
“Secretary, the Pentagon has reportedly approved DHS to test a military-grade heat ray weapon at the southern border. CNN is saying that the ray causes a burning sensation. When in contact with human skin it generates an instinctive and irresistible urge to run from it," Ingraham said. "Oh, that sounds painful."
"Is that going to be called inhumane by the left, which wants open borders?”
Mullin described the options under consideration as less-lethal or non-lethal and emphasized that the goal is deterrence, not deadly force.
"We can’t trust you because you’re breaking the law," the Secretary said. "So we’re going to use whatever tool we have at our disposal to keep that from happening.”
"I can’t really comment on this, but I can tell you that the technology we’re looking at is less lethal or non-lethal. It’s used as a deterrent," he added.
Ingraham: The Pentagon has reportedly approved DHS to test a military grade heat ray weapon at the southern border Mullin: Any technology we can use to deter people from using country illegally we are doing. Ingraham: Is it lethal? Mullin: No. I can't comment on this but can I tell you that the technology we are looking at is less lethal or nonlethal
— Acyn (@Acyn) October 22, 2026
The Active Denial System, commonly called a heat ray, fires an invisible millimeter-wave beam that rapidly heats the surface of the skin, which officials have compared to the blast of heat felt when opening a hot oven and which triggers an almost immediate urge to flee.
Hegseth’s September memo loans the system to DHS for seven months and makes clear that only Homeland Security personnel will run it and work out how to use it. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has confirmed it is evaluating new technologies that can strengthen border security, though it has not publicly detailed specific testing locations or timelines.
"The border is now a military installation and a battle lab for testing new systems, to include directed energy weapons," Patrick Weaver, Hegseth's deputy chief of staff, wrote on X. "The border is locked down!"
The border is now a military installation and a battle lab for testing new systems, to include directed energy weapons. The border is locked down! @DoWCTO https://t.co/d3FeOSxEun
— Patrick Weaver (@PatrickWeaverPA) October 21, 2026
The authorization comes on the heels of progressive outrage over ICE’s planned acquisition of electric shock gloves intended as a lower-level compliance tool.
For some reason, a certain Fall Out Boy song has come to mind. But I digress.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a package of bills last month to fight what his office called President Trump’s “Orwellian immigration tactics used to terrorize people.”
That package includes the first-in-the-nation ban on shock gloves and new limits on flash-bang grenades and explosive breaching charges used in immigration enforcement.
Bill Essayli, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for California's Central District, mocked Newsom over the move and suggested he had no power to enforce the ban.
"Or what?" he jabbed. "You’re going to write us a ticket?"
DHS Cleared To Test Military Heat Ray Shelved in Afghanistan Over Fears It Could Burn Migrants #DHS #Afghanistan #Migrants Read more: https://t.co/og2qfim7AQ https://t.co/qmolPBDoZ7
— IBTimes UK (@IBTimesUK) October 22, 2026
Administration officials argue both the gloves and the heat ray are non-lethal options designed to discourage illegal entries without resorting to deadly force. Which, you'd think the Left would be celebrating.
Instead, liberal critics have already begun raising safety and legal concerns about deploying a military crowd-control system against migrants. If Democrats take back power in January, you can expect non-stop investigations into the use of these deterrence devices and jobs to be lost at CBP.
Just look at what they did to the agents who were wrongfully accused of whipping Haitian migrants. If they'll do that over something that only happened in their minds, think of what they'll do if law enforcement actually has to use a heat ray.
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