Homeland Security Department Clashes with Locals Living Along U.S./Mexico Border Over Placement of Fence: Troubling

A wave of litigation seems to be in progress against landowners living along our southern border facing Mexico.

The problem stems from the fact that the federal government is moving forward with plans to build a fence to stem the tide of illegal immigration taking place along many points of the border.

Unfortunately, the government doesn't own all the land that runs along the 1,969-mile long border. It's in private hands, and the government has ordered private landowners in targeted areas of southern California, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas to allow federal surveyors onto their land to make plans for extending the fence.

Many are refusing the surveyors access as they don't want the fence running across their lands. Some are ranchers who own livestock and rely on the Rio Grande for their water; a fence would cut off their primary--and sometimes only--source of water. Others don't want a fence ruining the scenery.

In any case, many are being sued for their non-compliance with the Homeland Security order.

I support sealing the border, but I also think that the local landowners need to have some input into how to achieve this. I definitely do not support the use of eminent domain to force the issue either. Are the homeowners lords and masters of their own homes, or aren't they?

Building a piece of a fence here and then one there with no connectivity doesn't make sense either. This is very strange.