SpaceX recently sent residents of Boca Chica Village, a small community about thirty miles east of Brownsville, offers to buy their homes for three times the appraised value. While many might consider this to be akin to manna from heaven, the residents of Boca Chica Village aren’t so thrilled about the offer.
SpaceX has a facility within a few miles of the community. Its operations, which include launching rockets, have caused road closures and other inconveniences to the residents. To its credit, Space X wants to resolve the problems by buying the property of those most immediatly affected.
But few of the residents of Boca Chica Village find Space X’s offer enticing. They are mostly retired individuals who enjoy the serenity of the quiet community. They don’t want to sell their property, even for a significant profit. As one resident said:
“I mean where else can we go that we would have what we used to have here for the money we’re getting for the house?” McConnaughey said as he swatted away mosquitoes. “Fishing, walk on the beach anytime you want, five minutes and we’re down there.”
While SpaceX does not have eminent domain powers, the Cameron County Spaceport Development Corporation (CCSDC) does. This government agency is empowered by Texas law to promote the development of space-related businesses in Cameron County. Boca Chica Village is located in Cameron County, and residents fear that CCSDC will use eminent domain to seize their property and turn it over to SpaceX.
Nicholas Serafy Jr., the chairman of CCSDC, said, “We were really formed for SpaceX.” Serafy added that the board hadn’t discussed the use of eminent domain, “But I’m sure that authority was put in place for a reason. I’d be willing to explore it. I wouldn’t say it’s been an elephant in the room, but it may become an elephant in the room.” In other words, he would be willing to use political power to deprive individuals of their homes.
Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño Jr. said, “I feel bad for those people, but hopefully they’ll understand and appreciate at the end of the day this was beneficial for the entire area.” Which means, what benefits the “entire area”–the community “justifies” destroying the lives of individuals.
The benefits to the community, the nation, the public, is the “justification” offered every time that eminent domain is invoked. And this is true whether eminent domain is being used for a space port, pipelines, a high-speed railroad, or a border wall. Eminent domain declares that the alleged benefits to the community supersede the rights and welfare of individuals. And that is why eminent domain is immoral, no matter its use.