DOÑA ANA COUNTY, N.M. — Two people were killed and a third was injured in a military vehicle crash Tuesday morning in southern New Mexico.

Rep. Gabe Vasquez (D-N.M.) released the following statement Tuesday night: “I am deeply saddened by the tragic loss of two service members today near Santa Teresa. My thoughts are with their families, loved ones, and fellow service members during this difficult time. With the recent deployments to and the new mission at the Southern border, we must fully review the circumstances surrounding this incident. We owe it to them — and all who serve — to ensure their safety is never compromised.”

We’re still working to confirm what type of vehicle it was, what service branch they were from, and what led to the crash. 

What we do know is it happened about halfway between Santa Teresa and Columbus, right along the border, just barely within Doña Ana County.

In a video, folks can see Doña Ana County sheriff’s deputies heading to the crash site. According to our affiliate in El Paso, three victims were flown to a nearby hospital.

There is no information on what the troops were doing during the crash, but we do know the Trump administration has been ramping up military presence along the border.

On Monday, President Trump ordered the Pentagon to designate the land along the border as a military installation. That way, people crossing the border could be arrested by soldiers for trespassing on a military base.

The specific border area is known as the Roosevelt Reservation, it’s a 60-foot-wide strip of land owned by the federal government along the U.S. side of the border with Mexico. It runs for 632 miles from California to New Mexico. 

Legal experts say Trump’s action will likely be challenged in court.