Key facts
- An estimated 400 landowners in the Big Bend region of West Texas have been targeted for land surveys for border wall construction.
- U.S. Customs and Border Protection has sent letters to landowners, requesting access for surveys or risking eminent domain.
- The Big Bend region is the largest Border Patrol sector but has low migrant traffic, with a significant drop in encounters in recent fiscal years.
- Despite low migrant numbers, the Trump administration describes the region as an 'area of high illegal entry'.
- Landowners fear losing their property and way of life, with some organizing to resist the government's efforts.
In the rugged Big Bend region of West Texas, approximately 400 landowners are facing the threat of land seizures for the construction of a border wall. Joe Carrasco, a 71-year-old rancher, is among those who have received letters from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) demanding access to their property for surveys, with the alternative being forfeiture through eminent domain.
Despite the Big Bend sector being the largest Border Patrol sector, it experiences the lowest volume of migrant traffic, with a significant decrease in encounters over the past two fiscal years. However, the Trump administration has characterized the area as a hotspot for illegal entry and drug smuggling.
While officials have stated they are not building a wall within Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park, billions of dollars in contracts have been awarded for border wall work in the vicinity, and environmental laws have been waived to expedite the process. Contractors are also seeking permits for substantial water usage to support hundreds of workers.
Residents, some with family histories in the area dating back to the 1870s, express alarm at the prospect of losing their land and their way of life. They highlight the irony of potential land seizures in Texas, a state that emphasizes private property rights. Some landowners feel powerless against the federal government, while others, like Yolanda Alvarado, are actively organizing to resist, believing this generation is better equipped to fight back.
Carrasco, a Republican in a Democratic county, allowed a surveyor onto his property hoping for more information, especially after a financial setback from his former employer's bankruptcy. The threat of losing land for a border wall has galvanized many, regardless of their political leanings, who feel a deep connection to the land they have cultivated for generations.