REDFORD, Texas — The Trump administration has taken a hardline approach with West Texas landowners, demanding cooperation for border wall construction or face unilateral action through eminent domain. At a rare in-person meeting in Redford, population 71, officials made their intent clear: progress on the wall is non-negotiable.
Fast-Tracked Construction Raises Concerns
Since January, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been sending landowners packages offering $1,000 to $5,000 for initial access to their properties. However, inaccurate survey lines and owner information have fueled local frustration. The administration's goal is to complete construction by December 2027, with work slated to begin this June despite the onset of the rainy season and potential flooding risks.
'If the administration has a plan, and we try to coordinate with a landowner and the landowner doesn't respond to us, that's a ... a message [that] you don't agree,' said Marvin Makarwich, a representative from the Army Corps of Engineers.
Landowner Pushback
Many landowners, particularly elderly residents, are resisting the administration's push. Jim Stephens, who owns two plots in Ruidosa, Texas, bluntly refused access, citing distrust in how government staging areas are left post-construction. Despite the offer of $5,000, Stephens emphasized that the sum, while significant, is insufficient to relinquish property rights.
The administration's preferred route involves landowners signing a 'Right of Entry for Construction' form, granting total property access for surveys and construction. However, concerns over fair compensation and property infringement remain unresolved.