Texas has offered a plot of rural ranchland along the U.S.-Mexico border as a potential staging area for mass deportations under President-elect Donald Trump.
Texas purchased the land last month in rural Starr County within the Rio Grande Valley. Republican Dawn Buckingham, the Texas Land Commissioner, extended the offer in a letter dated Nov. 14 to Trump.
“We’ve heard through back channels that they’re considering it, but we just want them to know we’re a good partner and ready to help,” Buckingham told The Associated Press in an interview on Wednesday.
The property lacks paved roads and is in a county with limited local resources, including just one public hospital. However, Buckingham emphasized its strategic location.
“This land is very well-situated. It’s flat and adjacent to major airports and a bridge over the river,” she said. “If it’s helpful, we’d love to partner with the federal government. If not, we’ll keep looking for ways to assist.”
The offer highlights a growing split between states and local governments over how to address Trump’s plans for mass deportations of undocumented migrants. On Tuesday, the Los Angeles City Council voted to become a “sanctuary” jurisdiction, limiting its cooperation with federal immigration authorities on deportations.
Texas leaders have long advocated for aggressive border security measures, including installing razor-wire barriers and passing a law last year that would allow law enforcement to arrest migrants crossing the border illegally.
“By offering this newly-acquired 1,400-acre property to the incoming Trump Administration for the construction of a facility to process, detain, and coordinate the largest deportation of violent criminals in our nation’s history, I stand united with President Trump to protect American families,” Buckingham said in an earlier statement.
Trump has stated his intention to launch his deportation efforts on his first day in office. During his campaign, he frequently linked unauthorized border crossings to issues ranging from drug trafficking to housing costs, often emphasizing their connection to crime.
There are an estimated 11 million undocumented people in the United States. Questions remain about how individuals would be identified and where they would be detained.
The president-elect’s transition team did not confirm whether they would accept Texas’ offer but issued a statement.
“On day one, President Trump will marshal every available resource to secure the border, protect our communities, and launch the largest mass deportation operation of illegal immigrant criminals in history,” said Karoline Leavitt, the transition spokeswoman for Trump and Vice President-elect JD Vance, on Wednesday.
The Texas General Land Office did not disclose the amount paid for the land, but Buckingham noted that the previous owner resisted the construction of a border wall. A 1.5-mile stretch of border wall was built on the property under Republican Gov. Greg Abbott in 2021. With this recent acquisition, the state has established an additional easement for future border wall construction.
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