The Department of the Interior announced Wednesday they had transferred over 500 acres of federal land to the Army to build more barriers along the U.S.-Mexico border.
National parks or parts Native American reservations were not included in the land transfer. The land is being transferred to the Army under 10 U.S.C. 2808.
“Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt announced today the transfer of administrative jurisdiction of approximately 560 acres of Federal lands to the U.S. Department of the Army to build roughly 70 miles of border barriers,” the statement said.
Lands that were transferred over include parts in El Paso, Texas; San Diego, California; and Yuma, Arizona. The Department of Defense has allocated $3.6 billion to fund 11 barrier projects at the southern border following President Trump signing Presidential Proclamation 9844 in February.
“I’ve personally visited the sites that we are transferring to the Army, and there is no question that we have a crisis at our southern border. Absent this action, national security and natural resource values will be lost. The impacts of this crisis are vast and must be aggressively addressed with extraordinary measures,” said Bernhardt.
“The damages to natural resource values are a byproduct of the serious national security, drug enforcement, and other immigration challenges facing our dedicated staff along the border. Construction of border barriers will help us maintain the character of the lands and resources under our care and fulfill our mission to protect them,” he added.
Story cited here.