Texas Initiates New Border Wall Construction Funded by State

Texas is moving forward with the construction of a new 1.5-mile section of a state-funded border wall after acquiring a 1,402-acre ranch along the Rio Grande in Starr County. This announcement was made by Dawn Buckingham, the Commissioner of the Texas General Land Office. The new construction will be located near a previously completed 1.7-mile section from 2022 and adjacent to federally funded segments built during the Trump administration.

A statement from the agency highlighted the collaboration between Governor Greg Abbott, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Texas National Guard to secure the state's border. Since the Biden administration paused federal border wall construction in 2021, Texas has successfully built 34 miles of wall across six counties.

Buckingham, in a letter dated November 19 to the incoming Trump administration, proposed leasing a portion of the land to the federal government for an immigration enforcement facility, emphasizing the strategic importance of the property for border security. The acquisition cost for the ranch was nearly $4 million. She noted that previously appropriated funds would finance the new barrier.

Rep. Chip Roy, a Republican from Texas, mentioned that construction materials, including steel bollard sections similar to those used in the federal wall, are already available at the site. The new wall is planned to stand 30 feet tall.

In September 2023, the Texas Facilities Commission approved multiple contracts for the Texas Border Infrastructure Program, totaling millions to various construction firms, many of which have prior experience with federal border wall projects.

In October 2023, the Biden administration announced intentions to resume border wall construction in Starr County and along the Rio Grande using funds allocated during the Trump term. However, actual construction has not resumed, aside from the installation of temporary jersey barriers. The administration also auctioned off construction materials acquired during the earlier Trump years.

In August, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a legal victory, preventing the Biden administration from reallocating federal funds originally designated for border wall construction to other projects.