T
he Texas General Land Office has acquired two large ranches near the US-Mexico border as part of its efforts to enhance border security. The first property, a 1,402-acre tract in Starr County, will feature a 1.5-mile stretch of border wall along the Rio Grande. A second, much larger ranch, the 353,785-acre Brewster Ranch near Big Bend National Park, was purchased to prevent foreign entities from acquiring it.

    Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham cited the property's riverfront location as an ideal spot for bolstering border security, claiming that the federal government has "abdicated its responsibility" in this area. The state had previously announced plans to build a border wall three years ago and has constructed around 34 miles of steel barrier so far.

    The purchase prices for both properties were not disclosed by the land office. Buckingham stated that the larger ranch offers various leasing options, including hunting, agriculture, and carbon sequestration in the soil. She also expressed concern about foreign adversaries acquiring the property, although she did not specify who these parties might be.

    Brewster Ranch was previously owned by Brad Kelley's Texas Mountain Holdings, a company controlled by the state's largest private landowner. The asking price for the ranch was reportedly over $245 million.