Texas Land Commissioner Offers 1,400 Acres for Deportation Facilities

MCALLEN, TX - Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham has proposed using 1,402 acres of state-owned land near the Texas-Mexico border for deportation facilities under the incoming Trump administration. The land, located about 35 miles west of McAllen in Starr County, was acquired by the Texas General Land Office (GLO) in October to support border security initiatives.

In a letter addressed to President-elect Donald J. Trump, Buckingham stated the land is intended for the processing, detention, and deportation of individuals as part of a large-scale border operation. The commissioner emphasized that the site, currently farmland, is ideal for building the proposed facilities due to its flat terrain.

Buckingham highlighted the GLO’s commitment to border security by recounting the agency’s efforts to reduce cartel activity in the Rio Grande area. The agency previously secured “Fronton Island,” described as one of the most dangerous regions along the border, through an operation that cleared vegetation, installed razor wire, and uncovered trafficking evidence and weapons caches. According to Buckingham, these measures have eliminated cartel-related violence in the area.

The proposal aligns with President-elect Trump’s campaign pledge to prioritize mass deportations of individuals living in the U.S. illegally. Trump recently announced plans to declare a national emergency to expedite the deportation process. While the offer from Texas signals support from Republican-led states, Democratic leaders in other border states, including Arizona, have vowed not to assist in such efforts.

The GLO’s offer now awaits a formal response from the Trump transition team.