Texas Governor Greg Abbott is seeking support for his proposal to strengthen security at the border with Mexico. Abbott has requested $11 billion from Congress and the White House to fund the state's efforts to stop irregular border crossings, which includes the construction of dozens of miles of border wall and the acquisition of land for future construction.
According to Abbott, more than 160 kilometers of land along the border with Mexico could be sold or leased to the federal government as part of this strategy. The governor has emphasized that this payment for real estate assets and improvements would benefit all Americans.
Democratic Representative Vicente González has criticized Texas's request, calling it "compensation for a total failure." González pointed out that the state's border security program, Operation Lone Star, has failed to reduce irregular migration and that the funds could have been allocated to other important programs.
Abbott has presented his proposal in the context of tightening immigration policies supported by the Republican majority, in alliance with former President Donald Trump. The governor traveled to Washington to request reimbursement for funds for Operation Lone Star and has signed agreements to cooperate with the Trump administration on border issues.
Abbott's proposal includes transferring already constructed border wall land, land for future constructions, military beds, and cells for the detention of migrants to the federal government. While Abbott's offer has received support from Senator John Cornyn, it has also generated skepticism in some sectors of Congress.
Abbott has made it clear that Texas is willing to collaborate with the federal government on border security, offering resources in exchange for federal funds. This proposal marks a shift in the state's stance by considering the sale or leasing of strategic land as part of the solution to border challenges.
