Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham reaffirmed her commitment to Texas sovereignty and raised serious concerns about federal construction efforts affecting Texas lands after the U.S. Supreme Court allowed construction to resume in the Big Bend region while litigation continues, according to a news release from the Texas General Land Office.
The statement follows a dispute that began over the summer. On July 31, Buckingham issued cease-and-desist letters to U.S. Customs and Border Protection and its contractor, Barnard Construction, concerning excavation and construction activities on GLO-managed state lands in Presidio County that the agency maintained were unauthorized, the GLO said. The letters stated that Barnard had used heavy equipment to alter the terrain and remove vegetation without the GLO’s express written consent.
“Texas can secure our border and protect Big Bend,” said Buckingham. “We can confront the cartels, stop drug and human trafficking, and support our law enforcement officers while respecting the rugged country that makes Texas extraordinary. Big Bend’s rocky, remote terrain itself serves as a natural deterrent to illegal crossings, providing a layer of border security.”
“Securing our border must also include respecting Texas’ state lands and the communities we are working to protect,” Buckingham said. “This administration owes Texans a strategy that accounts for the terrain, listens to local communities and protects this irreplaceable landscape for generations to come.”
Buckingham also pointed to the agency’s long history. “As Land Commissioner, I lead an agency whose history dates back to the Republic of Texas, with a responsibility to protect the lands entrusted to the people of this great state,” she said. “We can secure our border without harming the precious land we are entrusted to defend. Texas Sovereignty is non-negotiable and the Texas General Land office will vigorously defend it.”
In the July letters, Buckingham demanded an immediate halt to the activities and restoration of the damaged lands to their original condition, including a reclamation plan subject to GLO approval, according to the release. The agency also reserved its right to pursue all available legal remedies.
The release did not say whether the GLO plans further legal action following the Supreme Court decision. Litigation over the construction continues, according to the agency.