Texas acquires dozens of land parcels for state-funded border wall

The Texas agency overseeing the construction of the border wall acquired several land parcels near the U.S.-Mexico border to continue the expansion of the border wall, the agency’s director said on Thursday. 

So far, “32 land tracts have either closed agreements reached and/or pending closing at title companies,” Texas Facilities Commission (TFC) Executive Director Mike Novak told commissioners during a meeting on Thursday morning. 

While the agency has not revealed the exact location of the parcels, Novak added that the TFC is also negotiating to acquire 142 additional border parcels in Val Verde and Starr counties, some of the busiest sectors for migrant encounters. 

“We continue to gain what I call very significant momentum in securing the land agreements,” Novak said. “This has been our top priority and focus in the past couple months.”

The Border Report found that most of the parcels being acquired were privately owned or owned by municipalities, like school districts. 

On September 29, the TFC approved $307 million to build 14 miles of new border wall to add to the existing 1,900-mile-long barrier along the U.S.-Mexico border. 

As part of the project, the TFC awarded a $167 million contract to Southwest Valley Construction Company to build 6.77 miles of border wall in the Del Rio Sector and $140 million BFBC of Texas LLC to build 6.95 miles in the Rio Grande Valley, according to the Border Report. 

“This program is an all-hands-on-deck priority for our agency, obviously, and we’re moving forward as quickly as possible,” Novak said.