Pentagon grants DHS permission to test heat ray weapon for use at border

The Pentagon has authorized the Department of Homeland Security to test the Active Denial System, a military heat ray weapon that emits electromagnetic waves causing a burning sensation on skin, for potential use at the southern U.S. border. The nonlethal weapon can reach distances of over half a mile and creates an "irresistible urge to run" that lasts 10-15 minutes, and deploying it at the border would be unprecedented even for the Trump administration. The authorization grants DHS a seven-month temporary loan of the system starting in September, with DHS holding sole responsibility for its employment and tactical development.