Let Texans Do Texas (LTDT), a newly formed advocacy group, is asking state and federal lawmakers to drop plans for physical border wall construction across the Big Bend region. The group proposes a locally administered border security trust instead. The organization said the federal approach threatens the region's landscapes, affects private property rights and does not address local security needs. Its letter to Gov. Greg Abbott makes the case.
LTDT's plan has three parts. It calls for an immediate pause on barrier construction and ground-disturbing work in the Big Bend while an alternative is formalized. It also calls for canceling existing barrier contracts and directing $2 billion in federal border security funding to a "Permanent Trust for Big Bend Region Border Security." Only investment returns from the trust would pay for local operations. The third part would put county leaders, elected sheriffs and affected landowners in charge across seven West Texas counties: Hudspeth, Culberson, Jeff Davis, Presidio, Brewster, Terrell and western Val Verde.
LTDT board member Susan Hays said, "Walls and soldiers are not a 21st century solution."