Continuing its efforts to secure the southern border, Texas will begin surveying lands managed by the Texas General Land Office in search of cartel tunneling activity.
Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham directed the General Land Office (GLO) to identify lands under their management that could be susceptible to cartel smuggling tunnels. The operation will specifically target land located in high-risk areas, such as Hudspeth County.
Located southeast of El Paso, state officials discovered a campsite set up by human smugglers 30 miles north of the border in Hudspeth County in 2023.
Buckingham has also instructed GLO field officers to use aerial and drone technology to survey possible tunnel sites while conducting routine land inspections.
“Texas stands on the front lines of America’s fight for border security,” said Buckingham. “The cartels are constantly adapting, moving from the skies and waterways to underground networks of tunnels, and we will not cede an inch of land to these violent illegal criminals.”
The announcement follows the U.S. Department of Homeland Security allotting over $100 million to expand its Persistent Surveillance and Detection System, managed by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The expanded system was deployed for use on November 10.
DHS decided to expand the agency’s tunnel detection abilities after man-made smuggling tunnels were discovered in San Diego and El Paso earlier this year.
In January, CBP officers discovered a man-made tunnel in El Paso coming from Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. It was discovered after the removal of a metal plate that had been hiding a 36-by-36-inch opening to a six-foot-high and four-foot-wide tunnel. Agents also discovered that the tunnel was braced by wooden beams throughout, had a ventilation system, and was equipped with lighting.
“The safety and sovereignty of our state are non-negotiable, and the General Land Office will use every tool at our disposal to keep Texas safe,” added Buckingham. “Texans overwhelmingly expect action–and that’s exactly what they’re getting.”
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