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The federal government has notified South Texas residents of impending land surveys for border wall
The federal government has reportedly notified some residents in South Texas of upcoming land surveys, and has made offers for some land needed to complete the border wall. (Herika Martinez/AFP/Getty Images)

The federal government has notified South Texas residents of impending land surveys for border wall

South Texas landowners have received requests from the federal government to survey their land for potential border wall construction, and KENS-TV reported that some residents say they have even received offers to sell.

Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-Texas) told KENS that, according to Customs and Border Protection, more than 200 requests for land surveys have been sent to residents in Starr and Hidalgo counties.

"I walk out the back door and what I'm going to see is a 30-foot fence," said Mayor Noel Escobar of Escobares.

What's the story?

Over the past few months, the government has been surveying and requesting permission to survey land in South Texas towns for the border wall that represents one of President Donald Trump's most significant campaign promises.

At least one resident, Felix Rodriguez, told KENS that he had received an offer from a government official to purchase his land, but that the alleged offer ($300) was much lower than what he thought it was worth ($1,500).

"There's no use for me to sell the land if I'm not going to get much from it," Rodriguez said.

KENS reported that the land in question is "an overgrown weedy lot that leads to the river and is separated by a chain-link fence in his backyard."

Rep. Cuellar said residents concerned about the government taking their land or lowballing them on an offer just need to make sure to ask questions before signing anything.

Rio Grande City School District board President Daniel Garcia said the letter requesting the surveys says the surveys are for "tactical infrastructure, such as a border wall," and comes with a map highlighting the land to be surveyed.

Garcia told KENS that when the district voted to participate in the survey, he didn't know if was for the border wall. Had he known, he said, he would not have voted for it.

"When we voted for it, it was not for any specific reason," Garcia said. "They just wanted to come in and survey the property."

What's the status of the wall?

Although Trump has said in recent days that the new border wall is currently under construction, NBC News reported that construction has only repaired or replaced "existing fencing designs," and not any of the new border wall prototypes, due to constraints Congress placed on border security funding.

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