August M
The Trump administration is accelerating efforts to expand barriers along the US-Mexico border, reviving a signature policy of the president’s first term.
As federal agencies move to secure land for new construction, residents in South Texas say they are being pressured to make rapid decisions about their property, reports 20 Minutes.
Federal expansion plan
US Customs and Border Protection confirmed to AFP that it is contacting landowners to obtain property needed for access and construction tied to the border wall project.
A spokesperson said the aim is to “ensure operational control of the border,” in line with current legislation.
President Donald Trump has made immigration enforcement a central pillar of his second term. The administration is promoting what it calls a “smart wall” along the more than 3,000-kilometre frontier, combining physical barriers with surveillance systems, patrol roads and, in some areas, water obstacles.
Homeowners under pressure
In Laredo, a city of roughly 250,000 people on the Rio Grande, dozens of property owners have received formal notices. According to AFP, at least 60 homeowners were informed in February that their land lies near planned construction zones.
Nayda Alvarez, a 54-year-old teacher living in a nearby town, said she was given five days to respond to a federal proposal concerning her backyard.
“They give you a thousand dollars to allow them access to your property and do what they have to do,” she said. Another option would “allow you to negotiate a sale or an easement agreement.” The third possibility, she added, is “expropriation.”
Anger and concern
Antonio Rosales Jr., 75, said part of his wooden home falls within the proposed building area. “We received a letter from the government informing us that they are going to demolish part of my house, and we have five days to sign the papers,” he said.
“The money they’re going to give us will barely be enough to rent. To buy a house, it’s not enough,” he added, saying he believes authorities can “get away with anything.”
Local activist Edgar Villasenor described the process as a “massive land seizure,” arguing that many residents feel compelled to accept the terms.
“Those who say we need a wall are in Washington,” he said. “The people who live along the river aren’t afraid” of migrants.
Environmental concerns have also surfaced. Jessie Fuentes, who runs kayak tours near Eagle Pass, criticized the growing barriers along the riverbank. “Everything is dead behind me,” he said, pointing to fenced-off areas along the Rio Grande.
Sources: AFP, 20 Minutes
