By Shelley Kofler
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-667035.mp3
Dallas – Texas Senator John Cornyn says the federal government's use of property for a Texas-Mexico border fence is important to national security.
A federal judge has ruled that the town of Eagle Pass must provide the government access to 233 acres of city property so it can build the controversial border fence.
Eagle Pass had refused to surrender the land, and Mayor Chad Foster called the action heavy handed.
Senator Cornyn, the ranking republican on an immigration and border security subcommittee called it a national security issue:
Cornyn: Border security from my perspective is a non-negotiable item. We have to secure the border and have t know in a post 911 world who is coming into our country and why they are here. I know there is a lot of emotion. What I told the mayors like Mayor Foster if you don't like that idea tell us what your idea is to provide the border security our nation needs.
The federal government expects to file more than 100 other lawsuits seeking land that would be used for the fence.
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