PRESIDIO COUNTY — Montana-based firm Barnard Construction was formally reprimanded by the Texas General Land Office (GLO) on Friday morning after the company illegally cleared more than a mile-long swath of land for border wall construction. The agency’s cease-and-desist marks the first time a State of Texas entity has made any statement on the border wall in the Big Bend — much less take legal action to slow it down.
In a press release, GLO Commissioner Dawn Buckingham described the company’s actions as an attack on “Texas sovereignty” and ordered both Barnard and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to halt work and restore the land to its original condition. “My office has a proven track record of strong border enforcement,” she wrote. “I am committed to maintaining a positive relationship with CBP, but we will not allow rogue actors who breached our agreement to undermine the incredible work we do for Texas.”
