Border wall ‘too little, too late’ for rancher in Texas
- Residents near the border report being afraid for their safety
- Residents and Texas law enforcement say the 20 miles of wall is not enough
- Texas has taken steps to construct a longer wall of it's own
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(NewsNation) — As the Biden administration authorized the construction of a border wall in Texas, some residents and law enforcement officials in the state say the move has come too late and won’t do enough to address the crisis at the border.
Debbie Douglas previously spoke with NewsNation about the impact of migrants on her ranch. Douglas said undocumented migrants had nearly broken her home, leading her to spend thousands of dollars on enhanced security measures.
“Luckily, we have not had any more encounters,” Douglas told NewsNation. “We are continuing to stay vigilant, we do not let our guard down in any way.”
Douglas said she appreciates the work being done by local law enforcement agencies to protect those living in areas close to the southern border.
Texas Department of Public Safety Lieutenant Chris Olivarez said he can’t recall other times residents have had to take those kinds of steps for their own protection.
“We have our state troopers working private ranches, to apprehend those individuals that are trying to circumvent checkpoints,” Olivarez said. “Those are the individuals, those are the illegal immigrants that don’t want to be caught.”
He told NewsNation law enforcement works with ranchers to apprehend those who cross illegally, noting agents don’t know the background or intent of the people who cross between points of entry.
The Biden administration recently announced construction of a border wall in Texas, something the president previously vowed he would not do.
For Douglas, the move is too little, too late.
“20 miles of border wall is not going to do anything. Not a thing,” she said.
Olivarez agreed, noting that Texas has built 11 miles of wall without help from the federal government, with plans for an additional 47 miles.
“The challenges that we face as a state is that we have to find state property or private property to build a border wall,” he explained. “Most of the land along the river is federal property.”
Olivarez also called for more border agents to monitor the area and respond to alerts from cameras and sensors that help surveil remote areas.
As for Douglas, she said there is only one thing the government could do to help her feel safe on her property again.
“They are going to have to close the borders and start deporting, that is the bottom line,” Douglas said.
