x

Gov. Abbott debuts start of construction of Texas border wall in Starr County

Gov. Abbott debuts start of construction of Texas border wall in Starr County
2 years 9 months 2 weeks ago Saturday, December 18 2021 Dec 18, 2021 December 18, 2021 11:41 AM December 18, 2021 in News - Immigration / Borderwall

Gov. Greg Abbott made a stop in Rio Grande City on Saturday to debut the new construction of his border wall on state-owned land.

Abbott approved the construction for the new wall six months ago, with Texas authorizing $3 billion for border security. Tax payer money is partially funding the wall.

"Texas is taking what truly is unprecedented action by any state ever for a state to build a wall on our border to secure and safeguard the sovereignty of the United States as well as our own state," Abbott said during a press conference Saturday.

RELATED: State agency planning for border wall in Starr County

"There will be challenges with private ownership, but we are finding because of the record surge of illegal immigration  that we are finding farmers and ranchers that want to contribute property and easements to construct the Texas wall," said Texas Land Commissioner George P. Bush.

Abbott expressed that Texas will be finishing the work started by the former presidential administration.

"Already this year, there have been more than 1.2 million people who have been apprehended coming across the border illegally," Abbott said. "Those are the people apprehended and do not count those who were not apprehended."

READ ALSO: Gov. Greg Abbott inaugurates first stretch of state-funded border barrier in Starr County  

Rio Grande City Mayor Joel Villarreal said the Valley has been dealing with illegal immigration for decades.

The new wall will be equipped with surveillance cameras and movement detection sensors. It’s unclear when the entire wall will be completed.

Abbott claimed the wall is impossible to penetrate because it is made of heavy steel and secured against the floor with cement, adding he hopes to continue receiving support to finish the project as quickly as possible.

According to the states crowdfunding website borderwall.texas.gov, the Texas government has already raised more than $54 million from people in the United States for the construction of the new wall.

More News


Radar
7 Days