Texas farmers, ranchers damaged by illegals to get US reimbursements

 Washington Examiner:

The Biden administration has agreed to reimburse farmers and ranchers across 33 Texas counties for damages sustained in the surge of illegal immigration and drug smuggling at the U.S.-Mexico border.

In an unprecedented move, the Department of Agriculture announced an initiative this week that would provide financial assistance to landowners “currently impacted by damage to fields and farming infrastructure,” though the government news release skirted mentioning what had caused the widespread damages.

“We understand that the field and farming infrastructure damages along the border are costly and have a negative impact on our natural resources that our farmers and ranchers work hard to conserve,” Kristy Oates, a state conservationist for the department’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Texas, said in a statement. “Our field offices are ready to assist eligible producers with technical and financial assistance.”

Every county along the 1,250 miles that Texas spans the international border, as well as those as far as 100 miles away from the border, will be eligible to have 26 types of damages covered. The reimbursements were requested by state and national organizations starting last spring as illegal immigration soared through 2021 to the highest level ever seen.

"I hear daily from property owners who have suffered damages due to the border crisis," said Rep. Tony Gonzales, a Republican whose district stretches along two-thirds of the Texas border. "These dollars will have real impact to our ranchers and farmers, who have footed the cost of this crisis. ... Providing this relief has been a priority for me, and I appreciate my colleagues for joining me in this effort to put our farmers first."

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The State of Texas should also be reimbursed for the cost incurred because of the Biden administration's failure to enforce immigration laws.  Farmers and chancer had had fences cut which are not easily patched and they have also had other property damage from the illegals.  Biden's policies have enriched the Mexican drug cartels and also resulted in the import of deadly drubs like fentanyl which is disguised as pills and has killed several people.  It is not clear whether the families who have members killed by the cartel's drug imports will be reimbursed in any way.