Texas General Land Office Announces on October 26: Nine Rio Grande Islands, About 66 Acres, Belong to Texas, Keeping Them From Becoming Cartel Hideouts
Austin, Travis County, Texas — Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham announced on October 26 that the General Land Office has confirmed that nine islands along the Rio Grande belong to the State of Texas, totaling about 66 acres; the news was reported on October 27. The Land Office said ownership of the islands had been unclear for years, limiting the ability to properly monitor and protect them. Now that ownership is confirmed, the office has notified its law enforcement partners so officers can lawfully access the state-owned land to patrol, inspect and clear any illegal activity. Buckingham said that as land commissioner she has a responsibility to protect every acre of state land entrusted to the General Land Office, and that Texas land will never become a safe haven for cartels, human traffickers, smugglers or other criminal organizations. The office said the step builds on its work during the Texas border crisis and aims to ensure operational control of the border, leaving cartels, smugglers and human traffickers no hiding place on Texas land. The islands' specific locations and follow-up enforcement arrangements are subject to further announcements by the Land Office and law enforcement agencies.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：南德克萨斯里奥格兰德河段航拍（资料图）。U.S. Customs and Border Protection 摄，公共领域，来源：Wikimedia Commons / Photo: An aerial view of the Rio Grande in South Texas (file photo). By U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
