(Texas Scorecard) – Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham has formally requested the Trump administration’s assistance in securing two islands along the Rio Grande near Roma, Texas.
These islands, described by Buckingham as “cartel-infested” and a “smuggler’s paradise,” have become hotspots for criminal activity, including smuggling operations and weapons stashes.
In a letter addressed to President Donald Trump, Buckingham urged collaboration between the U.S. Border Patrol and the Texas Military Department to secure the islands, known as Beaver Island (20.3 acres) and Roma Island (12.13 acres).
The General Land Office recently confirmed that these islands are within U.S. jurisdiction, with portions owned by both the State of Texas and the federal government.
“The identified island is currently being used by cartels for smuggling operations and stash sites for weapons and other illicit activities,” Buckingham wrote in her letter to Trump. She emphasized the urgency of clearing dense vegetation that provides cover for criminal enterprises, stating that this action would “significantly enhance border security and improve the safety of TMD soldiers and U.S. Border Patrol agents operating in the vicinity.”
Buckingham’s request aligns with ongoing efforts under Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star, which aims to combat illegal immigration and cartel activity along Texas’ southern border.
The commissioner’s letter also highlighted past federal-state partnerships, including a 1976 agreement granting portions of Beaver Island to the federal government for boundary adjustments under an international treaty with Mexico. Buckingham has now granted TMD permission to access state-owned portions of both Beaver Island and Roma Island for patrols and vegetation management.
She expressed optimism about future collaboration between state and federal agencies: “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 part of her broader mission to secure Texas’ southern border, Buckingham has proposed additional measures, including offering newly acquired land for deportation facilities and staging areas to support federal immigration enforcement efforts.
With these initiatives, Commissioner Buckingham reaffirmed her commitment: “I unapologetically use every tool at my disposal to gain complete operational control of our southern border.”
The GLO is now coordinating with TMD and the Department of Public Safety to finalize an operational timeline for securing Beaver Island and Roma Island.
These are not the first islands the GLO has declared Texas land. In 2023, Buckingham declared Fronton Island—a 170-acre island previously used as a “no-man’s land” by cartels—as state land. Following this declaration, TMD and DPS launched Operation Flat Top, clearing vegetation and installing razor wire along the riverbank. The operation resulted in a dramatic drop in cartel-related activity.
Building on this success, Buckingham facilitated the construction of 1.5 miles of border wall on GLO property in Starr County in early 2025. This wall is equipped with security cameras and lighting, set to be operational by May 2025.