Eagle Pass ordered to surrend to Homeland Security over that d*mn fence

Leaders in a small Texas border city felt blindsided Wednesday after learning that a judge had ordered public land turned over temporarily to the federal government as it works on a border fence.

U.S. District Judge Alia Moses Ludlum ordered the city of Eagle Pass to "surrender" the 233 acres of city-owned land by Tuesday. The Justice Department had sued for access to the land on Monday. Ludlum's ruling came the same day, before the city could muster a challenge.

Bullies, thugs and cheats.

Border residents aren't going to be intimidated.

Local leaders said they would continue to fight the border fence Wednesday, even as the federal government continued to file lawsuits seeking access to land along the U.S.-Mexico border.

“I’m very disappointed the federal government has decided to sue instead of negotiating,” said Steve Ahlenius, president of the McAllen Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Texas Border Coalition, a group of border mayors, county judges and local economic development officials that opposes the border fence.

“In the case of Eagle Pass, it’s very important the city challenges it. We are a democratic society and we do have the opportunity to seek justice through the court system.”