The General Land Office of Texas recently revealed the border ranch purchased for the proposed detention facility intended to support Donald Trump’s promised “mass deportation” operation.
Knewz.com has learned that Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham is working to identify additional land to assist the upcoming federal mass deportation efforts.
On Tuesday, November 26, Buckingham unveiled the 1,402-acre Starr County ranch, located just outside Rio Grande City, about 40 miles west of McAllen, Texas.
The Texas Land Commissioner’s agency bought the ranch in October for $3.82 million, according to purchase documents reviewed by reports.
The state of Texas is currently building a border wall, part of which runs through the ranch. The previous owner of the land, Andrea Kate Sheerin, opposed the construction of the wall. While revealing the proposed site for the deportation facility, Buckingham criticized Sheerin for “blocking” the wall project on her property, claiming her actions contributed to drug trafficking and illegal crossings into Texas.
Buckingham confirmed that the 1.5-mile section of the border wall passing through the ranch is expected to be completed by next week.
The border wall is part of Governor Greg Abbott’s immigration crackdown program, Operation Lone Star, which has involved the deployment of thousands of police and soldiers, as well as miles of barriers along the southern border.
Tom Homan, nominated as Trump’s “border czar,” confirmed that the Texas ranch will be used for the detention facility. However, it is still unclear whether the facility will be permanent or a temporary setup using tents.
Speaking on Fox and Friends on November 26, Homan revealed that he and Governor Abbott have already started planning for the mass deportation operation, instead of waiting until January 2025, when Trump will officially be sworn in.
Homan previously served as the acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement during Trump’s first term and was a key architect of the administration’s “zero tolerance” immigration policy. In a recent statement, Homan said, “Let me be clear: There is going to be a mass deportation because we just finished a mass illegal immigration crisis on the border.”
Homan also expressed his commitment to helping Abbott “finish the job he started,” referring to Operation Lone Star.
Despite Abbott’s praise for the operation’s success, his testimony earlier in 2024 painted a different picture. While speaking before a Republican-led Texas Senate panel, Abbott reported low morale among troops at the border, as well as concerns over humanitarian issues and rising costs.
The Biden administration’s Department of Justice and the American Civil Liberties Union have sued Texas, claiming the state’s actions interfere with the federal government’s authority over immigration.
In contrast, Abbott and Homan have described the border situation under the Biden administration as an “unprecedented threat.”
Currently, Buckingham’s agency is working to identify additional land in Texas to support the upcoming Trump administration’s anti-immigration efforts. “If the Trump administration thinks it’ll be helpful, we want to be good partners with them,” Buckingham stated.
Her agency oversees more than 13 million acres of land across the state.
Also Read:
- Harris County officials discover gun hidden inside convicted murderer’s wheelchair in jail
- Texas Democrat says Trump’s tariffs ‘will force Mexico to the table’ to solve immigration and fentanyl issues
