The Texas Facilities Commission (TFC) stated on February 10 that it had “acquired prefabricated Federal border panels” in November of last year, and that it “had possession” of the materials as of February 7. The agency stated that the property was “for use in the near term.”
One of the firms contracting with the TFC for border wall construction, Posillico Civil, Inc., “provided logistical support transporting the panels.”
Lt. Col. Chris Mitchell, a spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), indicated that an estimated $6 million worth of supplies, including 1,757 bollard panels, had been transferred to the State of Texas, the Arizona Daily Star reported on Sunday.
The newspaper reported that the DOD is seeking to clean up an estimated $265 million in materials that were left near the border after Biden canceled former President Trump’s border wall project. Much of those supplies are being kept at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Arizona, and other locations in California.
According to the Star, the amount of property donated to Texas is the most so far and Mitchell stated that hundreds of truckloads of supplies have been sent to Davis-Monthan.
Other federal agencies will reportedly receive some of the materials as well, including for border wall “remediation” efforts by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
TFC Spokesperson Francoise Luca explained to The Texan that the commission followed the guidelines to acquire federal surplus property as detailed by the U.S. General Services Administration and that the supplies are being kept in South Texas.
“The temporary storage location is in Maverick County. The Texas National Guard is charged with security of the location,” Luca stated in a text message.
In June 2021 after the conclusion of the 87th Legislature’s regular session, Gov. Greg Abbott tasked the TFC with constructing a state border wall as part of his border security efforts. The governor showcased the first stages of the project in December.
Despite canceling the U.S. border wall, the federal government announced plans in December to begin “closing small gaps that remain open from prior construction activities and remediating incomplete gates.”
In addition, Chris Magnus, the recently appointed commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, stated at his confirmation hearing in October that he was open to continuing border wall construction under certain circumstances.
The TFC provides updates on border wall construction on its website. The commission stated on February 11 that a 1.7-mile section of the wall in Starr County is expected to be finished this spring.
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Hayden Sparks
Hayden Sparks is a senior reporter for The Texan and a lifelong resident of the Lone Star State. He has coached competitive speech and debate and has been involved in politics since a young age. One of Hayden's favorite quotes is by Sam Houston: "Texas has yet to learn submission to any oppression, come from what source it may."
