The state of Texas has recently acquired a ranch located in rural Starr County, with the intention of constructing additional sections of the border wall.
The Texas General Land Office made a significant acquisition on Tuesday, purchasing a 1,400-acre ranch. Previously, this land was used for growing corn and other crops. The state has announced plans to construct a new segment of border wall measuring 1.5 miles on this property.
Texas constructed its initial 1.7-mile section of the state-funded border wall in 2022, close to the land. This development was executed as a component of the Operation Lone Star border security initiative.
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham revealed to Border Report on Tuesday that the agency had been actively pursuing the acquisition of the land for some time now. This initiative is in response to numerous reports that the region has turned into a hotspot for sexual assaults committed by Mexican drug cartels and human trafficking organizations against migrant women and children.
On October 23, the agency acquired the land using mineral revenue, and Buckingham confirmed that the purchase received approval from two independent boards.
In December, the Texas Facilities Commission will receive an easement of the borderland from the agency to initiate the construction of the border wall.
“It has been a challenging journey to reach this point, where we finally have the opportunity to obtain this piece of property and construct the wall,” she expressed.
According to a recent investigation by the Texas Tribune, Texas has successfully constructed approximately 34 miles of state-funded border wall during the summer. The cost of building this wall amounts to around $25 million per mile.
When Border Report enquired about the price of the new section, the Texas Facilities Commission—the organization in charge of overseeing state border wall projects—refused to provide information.
The General Land Office recently acquired land in West Texas, specifically in Brewster County near the city of Marathon. The acquired land includes a small segment along the river. The agency intends to grant an easement to the state for the construction of the border wall on this property.
According to Buckingham, the reason for the state’s construction of the wall is the lack of defense from the Biden administration in securing the Texas border.
She claimed that Texas and the entire administration have been filling the gaps left by the federal government.
