Trump administration pressures Texas landowners to accept border wall construction or face eminent domain

The Trump administration delivered a blunt ultimatum to landowners in Redford, Texas, during a rare in-person meeting on Tuesday: cooperate with border wall construction or face eminent domain.

Local residents, ranchers, and tourism operators say the administration’s push to meet mileage goals in west Texas is leading to rushed and sloppy work, compounding frustration in the region.

Timeline and financial offers

Landowners have reported receiving packages from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers since the start of the year. These packets, sometimes containing inaccurate survey lines or owner information, offer initial access payments ranging from $1,000 to $5,000.

All three options presented in the packets ultimately result in U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) acquiring the land for construction, either through cooperation or eminent domain.

Environmental waivers and fast-tracking

The administration has prioritized speed in the Big Bend sector, home to national and state parks. Former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem signed 28 environmental and cultural preservation waivers to accelerate the project, citing President Trump’s executive order declaring a southern border "invasion."

Construction firms are rapidly setting up temporary worker housing, or "man camps," and reserving local RV parks to accommodate hundreds of workers. Planned start dates align with the onset of the rainy season and flash flooding in June.

Landowner meeting reveals administration’s stance

Two Army Corps of Engineers representatives clarified their mission during Tuesday’s meeting in Redford, a town of 71 residents.

"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. But you're also not having communications to try to figure out if there's a way to do something different."

Marvin Makarwich, accompanied by a CBP agent, delivered the statement to a group of mostly elderly landowners.

Since the beginning of the year, residents along the Rio Grande have received letters, emails, and phone calls urging cooperation.

"Right of Entry" forms and property access

The administration’s preferred route is for landowners to sign a "Right of Entry for Construction" form, granting total property access for surveys and construction. Compensation is promised "once construction is completed" based on the fair market value of any property rights CBP deems necessary.

The letter states: "It allows us to work collaboratively with you, complete construction as quickly as possible, and then pay you for the fair market value of any property rights CBP determines it needs going forward."

Landowners have raised concerns about inaccurate property line maps, such as one CAD file showing incomplete and incorrect survey lines. If construction followed the outlined red lines, the wall would bisect the owner’s property.