The Texas General Land Office (GLO) announced the acquisition of a 1,402-acre ranch in Starr County along the Rio Grande, a strategic move for border security enhancements, including the construction of a 1.5-mile border wall.
Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham emphasized the urgency of securing the border, citing the federal government’s failures to manage illegal migration effectively. “For too long, the federal government has abdicated its job to secure our southern border – endangering Texans by allowing hundreds of thousands of unvetted illegal migrants to stream across our porous border,” Buckingham stated. She described these actions as a “downright sinister” neglect of duty.
The ranch, currently a productive row crop farm growing onions, canola, sunflowers, grain sorghum, corn, cotton, and soybeans, will continue to contribute to the state’s agricultural outputs while providing a new layer of security. “The General Land Office works for the people of Texas, and our agency will take matters into our own hands and partner with the State of Texas to secure this section of Starr County,” Buckingham added.
This property acquisition is part of a larger GLO initiative to enhance border security while supporting educational funding through the Permanent School Fund (PSF), which benefits from the revenue generated by state-owned lands.
Starr County is a critical area within the Border Patrol’s Rio Grande Valley Sector, a major entry point for migrants and asylum-seekers from Mexico. The acquisition is aimed at curtailing the high number of illegal crossings and improving safety in the region.
In a previous security enhancement in 2023, Commissioner Buckingham declared Fronton Island, also in Starr County, state land, which has since seen a significant reduction in criminal activities under Operation Flat Top, a joint initiative with the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Military Department.
The newly acquired land includes areas where crimes against migrants have been reported, including what local law enforcement referred to as “rape trees.” Buckingham stated, “The GLO is proud to step in to ensure this property can no longer be used for this kind of heinous activity.”
Image Credit: State of Texas General Land Office
Texas Reporter 