AUSTIN, Texas— Today, Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham, M.D., sent a request to the Trump Administration, asking the United States Border Patrol to collaborate with the Texas Military Department (TMD) to secure and defend a cartel-infested border island that was recently identified within the jurisdiction of both Texas and the United States. At the request of TMD, the General Land Office (GLO) Surveying Department recently submitted its findings, identifying the sovereign status of two islands in the Rio Grande River. This determination will permit law enforcement to conduct security operations, bringing law and order to an area that has been plagued by cartel violence.
"As Texas Land Commissioner and the steward of over 13 million acres, I unapologetically use every tool at my disposal to gain complete operational control of our southern border, by identifying Fronton Island for TMD and DPS to conduct Operation Flat Top to facilitating the construction of 1.5 miles of border wall on the GLO's property in Starr County," said Commissioner Buckingham. "Every day, Texas Military Department soldiers and law enforcement risk their lives at the border to protect Texas citizens. Clearing vegetation and criminal operations on these cartel-ridden border islands will help safeguard the men and women who patrol our border, allowing them to continue defending Texas families and communities. I stand ready and unwavering in my commitment to carry out this next critical step in the GLO's mission to help secure Texas’ southern border."
Island one and island two, approximately 12.13 and 20.3 acres respectively, are located near Roma, Texas, have been called a “smuggler's paradise.” Clearing these islands will significantly enhance border security and improve the safety of TMD soldiers, Department of Public Safety (DPS) Troopers, and U.S. Border Patrol agents operating in the area.
In the letter to the Trump Administration, Commissioner Buckingham noted:
“The identified island is currently being used by cartels for smuggling operations and stash sites for weapons and other illicit activities … I look forward to U.S. Border Patrol working with TMD to determine the best course of action for collaboration to bring an end to the lawlessness on this section of the border. As you know, Governor Abbott has led Texas’ efforts with Operation Lone Star for many years, therefore I believe Texas can continue to provide valuable operational insight on how best to secure this land.”
TMD and the DPS will now be able to clear the islands of vegetation used by the cartel as cover for their movements, smuggling operations, and weapons stash sites. The GLO looks forward to coordinating with TMD and DPS to identify an operational timeline to secure these islands.
In 2023, Commissioner Buckingham declared Fronton Island, a 170-acre island in Starr County, state land. After her declaration, the DPS and TMD cleared the land of vegetation through Operation Flat Top, and crime at this border hotspot was halted dramatically.
In October 2024, Commissioner Buckingham announced that the GLO had acquired a 1,402-acre ranch along the Rio Grande at Starr County's border with Mexico to build the border wall. Less than 24 hours later, Commissioner Buckingham signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the Texas Facilities Commission (TFC), authorizing them to begin state border wall construction.
In November 2024, she sent the Trump Administration a letter offering the newly acquired land for the construction of deportation facilities and staging areas to carry out the Trump Administration’s plans to deport violent criminal illegal immigrants. Border wall paneling was completed on this property in January 2025.
Click the button below to read Commissioner Buckingham's letter to the Trump Administration and her letter to the TMD:
Commissioner Buckingham's Letter to the Trump Administration and TMD
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