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Subject: Four more lawsuits filed against landowners

Date: Thursday, January 31, 2008 7:15:14 AM

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Four more lawsuits filed against

landowners
BY EMMA PEREZ-TREVIÑO/The Brownsville Herald
January 31, 2008 - 12:38AM
The U.S. Attorney’s Office filed three more lawsuits against Cameron County landowners
Wednesday for temporary access to their properties as part of the government’s border fence
project.

“These people seem to be looking for property that may not be reasonably fit for the fence,
but who knows where they are going,” said attorney Albert Villegas, who represents property
owners in three of the 21 lawsuits filed so far. All cases will be heard in the U.S. District
Court Southern District of Texas.

One lawsuit was against Villegas’ client, Morgan C. Jones. Villegas also represents Jones &
Jones Properties and the R.C. Smith Trust, which own land between the two international
bridges downtown.

“I don’t know if they are just looking for any and all property that my client has because we
are contesting this issue. They are making us go to court and argue for adequate
compensation and the government’s right to condemn property,” Villegas said.

“We need a fence in the middle of Brownsville as much as we need a hole in the head.”

Meanwhile, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison lobbied President George W. Bush to fund a
combination levee and fence along the river as an alternative. It was initially proposed by
Hidalgo and Cameron County officials to repair the levees while securing the border.

“I believe their efforts are a model for local consultation on border security initiatives,” the
state’s senior senator wrote in her letter to Bush.

It has been estimated that the cost to repair the levees would be $2 million per mile and that
about 36 miles could be involved, costing about $70 million, according to Hutchison’s
spokesman, Matt Mackowiak.

Cameron County Judge Carlos Cascos said Hutchison’s pursuit is good news.
“I hope that the proposal is gaining some momentum,” Cascos said.