US government ramps up effort to acquire private lands in Texas for border wall

Three years into Donald Trump's flagship campaign promise of building a wall along US-Mexico border, United States government has ramped up its efforts to seize private properties in Texas. As most of land along Rio Grande river forms border in Texas, it has become more difficult for government to acquire land because y are eir privately held or y have been declared environmentally sensitive. 

US-Mexico border wall

Department of Justice lawyers have moved three lawsuits to acquire property from landowners but land has been taken so far. ncy said that it is rey to file many more lawsuits to take private lands required to build border wall. Opponents in Congress are lobbying against border wall to limit funding and prevent construction in areas like National Butterfly Center, historic Catholic Chapel, and Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge.

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United States government has built 145 km of wall so far since Donald Trump took office in 2016. US is planning to complete its goal of building almost 800 km of wall along its Mexico border by 2020. US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has said that ncy is planning to build around 724 km of wall by end of 2020 and ar 95 km will be under construction.

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government in United States is required to pay compensation to anyone whose land is taken for public use, says Fifth Amendment of US constitution. government has alrey deposited $93,449 with court for 12.6 acres of land. justice department argued that government can give any amount it deems fair with court. However, landowners are close to settling a deal with government. 

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Some landowners support construction of wall but y are worried about losing ir own property to ' Man's Land' between wall and river. Rio Grande Valley is one of poorest regions in country and lawyer of six landowners has accused government of using state power against people who have very little.

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(With inputs from AP)