The Daily Signal - Trump and Texas: Plans in Works to Deport Criminal Illegal Aliens

Episode Date: December 15, 2024

A 1,402-acre ranch in Texas may become ground zero for the deportation of criminal illegal aliens.  Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, a Republican, spearheaded purchase of the ranch, which is located along the border with Mexico in Starr County between Laredo and McAllen, Texas. Now, Buckingham says, Texas may lease the land to the federal government as a site to process illegal aliens for deportation. She figures President-elect Donald Trump may need it. “We just thought we'd write a letter to [Trump] and say, ... if we can help, we have this property,” she says.  Deportations of illegal aliens, especially criminal illegal aliens, was a pillar of Trump's presidential campaign, and Buckingham says she and other leaders in Texas recognize that the incoming Trump administration will “probably need a facility to … relieve the strain on the local jails to get the proper processing before these people are deported.”  Tom Homan, Trump’s incoming border czar, has indicated he is interested in using the 1,402-acre ranch, a popular crossing point for illegal aliens, as the second Trump administration begins a major effort to secure the border and remove criminals who entered the country illegally.  Illegal aliens already have crossed the border into America unlawfully. Generally, "criminal illegal aliens" refers to those who also have been convicted of a crime either in America or in another country. Buckingham joins this episode of “The Daily Signal Podcast” to discuss what will change at the border when Trump returns next month. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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I am so pleased to welcome back to the show, Texas Land Commission. Don Buckingham, Commissioner. Thank you so much for taking the time to come back on the show today. Well, it is my pleasure to be back on with you. Well, it's an exciting time, and it's certainly an exciting time for Texas, because the American people voted in this election for secure borders. They made that very clear that they wanted secure borders. Immigration was consistently one of the top two issues when voters were pulled that was on their minds. And there has been a lot, really for the past four years, a lot of push in Texas to say, okay, even if the federal government isn't going to secure the border, we are going to act to secure the border. And Texas has just taken a significant step in further securing the border

by purchasing a 1,400 acre ranch. I want to ask you, explain a little bit about why this ranch was such a strategic piece of property to purchase when it comes to the fight to secure the U.S. border with Mexico. Well, so many things to unpack with that question and so much exciting stuff, but we originally purchased the property because it was owned by someone who would not only not allow law enforcement on the property, but of course would not give right away to the border wall, which means that it was leading in the crime statistics for that entire region, lots of human traffic across it, lots of violent crime happening there. And so we were asked by the facilities commission to acquire the property so that we could get law enforcement

access to the property and get the wall built. So we were been in process for a little bit, and we acquired the property within 24 hours. We had the ride of the way for the wall. We're going to have the wall finished in just really probably six weeks from having purchased it. We're going to have built a mile and a half of the wall, which is so exciting. We have complete operational control of that part of the border. It is now safe. You know, we're adding bit by bit.

But it's in a county that speaks to what you were talking about earlier, Star County, that for the first time in 150 years, Star County voted Republican and elected Donald Trump. But it is a very clear message that the Democrat Party has left so many people who used to vote Democrat. Perfect example of that. Actually, yesterday we had one of the local elected officials in an adjacent county flip from Democrat to a Republican. And I think we're going to continue to see that. Those communities want their children to be safe. We have violent criminals that the Biden administration and the Democrats all across the country have let out that continue to rape and murder our sons and daughters.

and we have lost too many of that. Our whole goal, as Texas has been standing in this gap, left by the Biden administration, when they're abdication of the duty to protect our border. You know, we've been spending billions of dollars. We've been doing everything we can to protect our communities and really the communities of the rest of the country. And so we are ecstatic to have a good partner now at the federal level.

And what we think people want to see is their local, state, and federal officials working together for the safety and prosperity of their communities. And that's exactly what we're going to. do. It's an exciting time. Well, that county, Star County, is located between Laredo and McAllen, pretty far south in Texas along that border with Mexico. Explain a little bit about what are some of the things that were happening on that ranch. What are some of the things that since Texas purchased that piece of property that you all have found? Just break down a little further why this was such a hot spot for illegal crossings. We were hearing story after story after story. It's a hot spot for

illegal crossings because the terrain is relatively easy. It's flat on each side of the river, and the river isn't flowing too swiftly in that region. So it's a relatively easy place to cross, given others. We heard lots of stories of that really being the property where the original rape trees were found. In fact, within the first 24 hours of owning it, I went down and just in honor of everyone who had been abused on that property, everyone who had suffered the violent crimes. We got in there with a bulldozer and bulldozed down some trees just as a clear message to say we are not going to tolerate this anymore. We are not going to watch the victimization of women and children and we're going to stand up and defend this border and get complete operational control.

Wow. Well, and it's been fascinating to see some recent developments with that property because you all are now working with the federal government and you've extended them the opportunity to say, hey, now we have this very large property that you all could also use for your own purposes, including in efforts of deportation and deporting illegal aliens. Speak a little bit about some of the possible plans that the federal government might have in play on that property. Well, as we of course, we closed on the property during early voting. And then when Trump won, we were celebrating that, of course, and we realized, you know what, we've got, our local jails are filled with violent criminals. We're seeing sanctuary policies

across the country. And we realize that we probably need a facility to release or relieve the strain on the local jails to get the proper processing before these people are deported. You know, all those types of things are going to take a little bit of time. So we just thought we'd write a letter to President Trump and say, hey, if we can help, we have this property. We've been really excited with the response. I know they're thinking about it. I know they're developing a strategic plan. We're just here to be a good partner.

We've also identified through the Jocelyn Initiative. Jocelyn Nungary was a 12-year-old young lady in Houston who was brutally raped and murdered by some of these illegal violent criminals, who, by the way, had been in the hands of law enforcement and have been released previously. And I like to take everyone, like, take a minute to just think about the reality of what's been happening across our country. Imagine the person that you love most in the world. Imagine that person was brutally raped and murdered.

Imagine, as in the case of one of the little girls, there's an 18-minute audio recording of her 911 call when she's being beaten and raped, you know, to ultimately pass away. And then imagine that that criminal had been apprehended by law enforcement multiple times, some for similar type crimes, and let to walk out the front door. You would feel, I would feel, if I were that parent, like those elected officials who let that criminal out

were an accessory to the crime that they committed. And that's our message to everybody. This is about violent criminals who have been hurting and murdering our sons and daughters. And I do not want another child to have to experience a death like that. And I do not want another parent or family member or friend to have to go through that pain. And so that's why we're really focusing on the violent criminals. That's why I think the Democrats across the country keep wanting to change this conversation.

They try to want to make it about something that it's not. What this is about is violent criminals getting them off of our soil so that they no longer can rape and murder our sons and daughters. Yeah. And I think that is really the critical point because it is one that this shouldn't be a bipartisan issue, right? It should be absolutely let's remove the criminal. the criminals, let's prioritize that first, those on the terrorist watch list, et cetera. How quickly do you think that can begin to happen after Trump is sworn in with folks like yourself and the good people of Texas standing with this administration to say, hey, we're going to do everything we can to make sure you all have the resources in order to carry out these deportations? Could it be as soon as

the first several months of a Trump administration that we're starting to see these criminals be deported? I hope so. I hope that the second we get everyone sworn in successfully and the confirmation hearing is done so they can actually come in and take office. My hope is it happens almost immediately. We know that there are these violent criminals already just waiting on ICE detainers to be picked up. Then there's going to be the ones kind of hiding in the shadows. We know that there are hundreds and thousands, hundreds of thousands at least of these individuals all across the country. We know with the cooperation of the local officials, it could happen a whole lot faster. But if the local officials are going to stand in the way, I do believe they each take an oath to uphold the

constitution and laws of our country. So I just wonder if you're operating in violation of your oath, what happens to you. I hope there are consequences for that. But my hope is it is immediate. We really, all we are saying through the Jocelyn initiative, through our partnership is, look, we are here. Put us in, coach. We want to be good partners. We are committed. We are to helping with this. You know, my opinion is the fundamental purpose of government is to defend those who can't defend themselves. Our children are the most defenseless against these violent criminals. Let's stand up and do what government should do. Let's defend these children. Let's get these criminals off of our soil as quickly as possible. As Texas's land commissioner, I know you speak with many landowners

across the state of Texas. What are you hearing from them in regards to their thoughts about these deportations? everything I hear is positive. I think it is, again, what the vote told us. People want these violent criminals off their property. They want, we're all for immigrants. We want legal immigrants. You know, bringing someone in the shadows that's enslaved, the hundreds of thousands of children that have been lost by the Biden administration. That is completely inexcusable and unacceptable. And everyone should be in pure outrage over what is happening to these young children. And the others who come across the border because, of course, all that's happening through these policies is the most violent gangs and cartels are being enriched and these people are being enslaved to either

work traffic selling drugs or to be sex trafficked. And so it is time to put an end to this. Yeah. You mentioned a moment ago just how you're already kind of beginning to feel that difference between administrations and of course Trump isn't sworn in until January 20th. But if you would kind of compare and contrast a picture of what you think, you know, what we have seen under a Biden administration at the southern border and what we stand to see under a Trump administration. Black and white, complete opposite. And all you have to do is fast forward to four years ago when Biden won the race and within the first 24 hours of being sworn.

in, he basically reversed all of Trump's policies that had really led to the migration across the border being a trickle, that illegal migration was cut down a lot through Trump's policies. Biden comes in, gets rid of Trump's policies, and we already see whatever it is, a multiple hundredfold increase, a thousandfold increase, whatever that number is, but we just see all time records being hit with the illegal migration across. We see tons and tons of people on the terrorist most wanted list. coming across and understand the way they send people across is they send the kids first because then law enforcement interacts with them and then it creates a hole in law enforcement because

they have to take those individuals for processing and then they send the drugs in that hole and then if the drugs get through then they send the really bad guys so the estimates on the people that are here are not even close to being accurate because there are so many that we never saw there's so many that we had no idea no contact with that came across. And so I think Trump's going to come in. I think he's going to have the policies changed. That lure that was bringing people here will go away. And then we'll get law enforcement in. We'll get these violent criminals rounded up. It's going to take a while to do that. It's going to be a big project. They're hiding probably in every corner of almost every community. And then we're

going to get our community safe and prosperous again. You use that word lure. I think that's really critical. That was something as I was speaking. I know you spoke to Senator Cruz today. I had the privilege of speaking with him yesterday. And he was talking about that. You have to remove that incentive. And when so many illegal aliens have watched family members come across the border and be paroled, they thought, well, I can get in then. If they did it, I can do it too. And so that definitely becomes a really critical component and goes back to the deportation efforts of if illegal aliens understand if you come here illegally, you will be removed. That really lessens that. that lore, like you say, to come here in the first place. I want to, I want to speak,

or ask you to speak a little bit to the border wall, because I think we hear a lot of messaging about the border wall, and it's become this political hot button issue. And there's some misunderstanding about what walls actually do and their purposes. Just explain, if you would, a little bit about why border walls are a really key component, not the NLBAL, but they're a really key component of border security. And I think that's exactly the right perspective. It's a component. A wall stops no one, but what it does do is it slows down their access across the property, and it channels them to other places where law enforcement has a better opportunity to apprehend them. And it's part of what I, you know, a multi-legged chair, right? So you've got to have the boots on the

ground. You've got to have the infrastructure to be able to take and process these individuals. We need some better laws, too. There's some. real issues and reforms that I'm hoping Congress will be taking up here in their next session. We know this lame duck session, they're probably not going to make a lot of good progress on that with who's in control. But that's okay. There's a new day coming very soon. But it's an important component of it. There's no doubt that the walls, again, slows things down, redirects traffic to lanes where they can be more easily apprehended by law enforcement. But you need the technology. You need the boots on the ground. You need the right laws and policies.

place. So it's a, it's part of a, you know, a multi-legged stool, so to speak. So we want to be sure that each part is as strong as possible. One of the funest things I got to do, besides making Texas bigger for a few hundred years by declaring some islands in the Rio Grande, which is similar story, complete messes that were safe havens for the cartels, lots of bombs, lots of guns, lots of drugs, lots of raped individuals. They had built structures there. We declared and we cleared and we got complete operational control of that. Got the Constantine wire up. But on this property, on this 1,400 acres in Star County,

I actually got in the big excavator and was putting in a section of the wall myself. So I got to operate some heavy equipment and experience that joy of actually getting in there and getting it done. But it just shows the commitment. You know, again, the Republicans in the state of Texas has been united standing in this gap

for the entire Biden administration. And we're all working together, all ready to roll up. our sleeves and do whatever it takes, whatever we need to do to get a secure border. Yeah, very, very critical. In the day-to-day from what we've seen from law enforcement in Texas, from the Texas National Guard, do you think that there will be some reshuffling of those resources just now that there is an administration coming in that's very pro-border wall and pro-border security?

Yes, Texas has been spending billions and billions of dollars on border security. again, in that absence, the Biden administration. And, of course, untold number of work hours on our Department of Public Safety and our Texas military department and local law enforcement. And so I think we are going to be happy when we can successfully hand that baton. Of course, we'll always have a role. But when the federal government picks everything up and does what it's supposed to do, then we can focus on some other things that honestly had to take second place because the mass of fentanyl.

I mean, that's, you know, something we haven't even touched on yet. I mean, we've recovered enough fentanyl across the Texas border to kill every man, woman, and child in the world. Just in Texas. Just in Texas. Because it is the tiniest, you just dip your pinky finger in a little bit of fentanyl. That's a lethal dose. And it can be. And so to everyone who have lost a loved one to fentanyl poisoning, you know, that's another part of this.

And another reason that we have got to get. again, a secure border. There's another piece of property near Big Bend National Park that you all have also acquired. Explain a little bit about the strategy there and why that's another key property to make sure that there is security. Right. And backtrack just a smidge. Texas is a little unique because we were a sovereign nation when we joined the United States. Everywhere else was a territory, basically. And so when they joined the United States, they gave up their unowned land. That became federal land.

It's why so many states, especially in the West, are majority federal land. Since we kept our own land, we are a majority state land, and that land was set aside to generate revenue for the school children of Texas. And so we do that through a lot of ways. Usually land leases, sometimes it's oil and gas. We happen to be the largest mineral owner in the state responsible for the majority of oil and gas in the state that, again, benefits the school children of Texas. Last year, I wrote about a $2 billion check to education. That's exciting. This year, about a $1.5 billion check.

And we do all kinds of leases. Sometimes it's agriculture. Like I said, mining. Sometimes it's oil and gas. Sometimes it's a master plan community, all kinds of things. So we acquire properties all the time for various reasons. But the core component is the highest and best use to generate revenue. The large ranch in West Texas, one of the things we're really being transformational on is carbon storage credits.

Because there are all these federal requirements that some of our companies will not be able to continue to operate. if they haven't reached a certain amount of neutrality by, you know, just a little after 2030. So with that deadline looming, we wanted to be sure that oil and gas was doing well and prospering and able to put up with these federal regulations. So carbon sequestration is a big part. We just did a 1.2 million acre core space carbon sequestration lease off of the coast. The bigger property that we just bought in West Texas will probably be more along the soil category. It does have a border, you know, secure border component to it as well as part.

of it's on the river. So there are lots of reasons. But the end of the day, even if our win, we hopefully, the Trump administration says they want to take us up on some of our properties, we anticipate that will work through a land lease. So it'll be a win-win because we're generating revenue for the schoolchildren of Texas while we're making their communities safer through getting these violent criminals off our soil. Wow. That's really significant. So you'd be leasing the land to the federal government to come in. And are you picturing that they would sort of be like large, almost like 10 facilities that are processing these individuals for deportation? I would anticipate, obviously, it has to be a secure location because you can't just let the bad guys run around as they want.

I think it would have to go up pretty quick, brick and mortar facilities take a long time to plan and build. So I would anticipate something along, you know, something that can go up pretty quickly, have a secure component to it. But again, we'll just see what they need and what they want to do and how we can be a good partner. Yeah. Are there other sections of the Texas border that you have an eye on right now that you're focused on making sure in the coming weeks, months are secured. We are always looking for ways to make our border more secure. You know, we again steward 13 million acres.

We have property all over the state. There might be a need in some urban areas to have a facility, right? Because bigger areas are going to have more of these criminals in them just by nature. We might need to focus where the Venezuelan gangs are starting to take over apartment complexes. So we've identified properties all over the. the state that we think might be of use to the Trump administration. Of course, once we get their parameters about what they think they want to, what they may need, then we can go through our list of properties and see what might work. Lots coming down the pike. It's going to be a busy

year ahead, I would say, 2025. It's going to be exciting. Commissioner Buckingham, thank you for your time. Thank you for the work that you're doing. It's always a privilege, and we look forward to having you back on in the new year to talk about progress and how Texas and the Trump administration are working to secure the border. Thank you. Thank you. We're going to leave it there for today. Don't forget to hit that subscribe button.

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