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The federal government in July filed four land condemnation lawsuits against property owners in Starr County seeking more than 1,000 acres for the purpose of building a border wall.
On Monday, federal authorities filed a lawsuit against the unknown heirs of Ramon Perez, Teodoso Perez, Martina Perez, Juliana Perez, Juan Perez Sr., Manuel Perez and the unknown owners of nearly 67 acres. That same day the government also targeted the city of Laredo with a land condemnation lawsuit for 933 acres that the city owns on a plot just east of La Grulla.
This action comes a week after the government filed its first two land condemnation lawsuits in several years.
On July 1, the government sued Florentino Luera seeking 34.38 acres of land near the Zapata County line and Florencia and Salvado Garcia seeking 5.03 acres of land on a property off Midway Road in Rio Grande City.
The total land sought by the government is approximately 1,039 acres.
“The public purpose for which said property is taken is to conduct surveying, testing, and other investigatory work needed in consideration of any plan for proposed construction of border barrier, including gates and power to operate such gates as well as roads that will be required to construct, operate, and maintain the border barrier,” the lawsuits read.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection has been planning a border wall expansion since the tail-end of former President Donald Trump’s administration.
After President Joe Biden was elected — and after he promised that not another foot of border wall would be built — CBP announced a plan to build 86 miles of new border wall in the Rio Grande Valley.
In 2023, CBP significantly scaled that proposal back and sought public comment on a plan to build up to 20 miles of new border wall in Starr County.
That plan called for the proposed border wall to be centered around Salineno, running to the south following the river and to the north, ending south of the Falcon International Reservoir.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE:
Federal government targets 39 acres in Starr County for proposed border wall
Third border lawsuit filed by federal government seeks 933 acres in Starr County
