President Trump has threatened to use the “military version” of eminent domain to seize the land required to build his border wall. Apparently,
federal law allows for military department secretaries to “acquire any interest in land” if “the acquisition is needed in the interest of national defense.”
More than 1,100 property owners in Texas are threatened with seizure of their land, and many are fighting back. But Trump will not be dissuaded. He has stated that lawsuits will not hold up construction of the wall.
It is bad enough that land owners face an army of lawyers in their battle to retain their property. But now they face the threat of the real army.
It is doubtful that the military will actually invade south Texas. But men with guns will enforce eminent domain. Whether those men are from the sheriff’s department, the United States Department of Justice, or the United States Army is merely a detail. Property owners who do not “voluntarily” sell their land will be faced with the threat of armed force.
Of course, this is true of all violations of property rights, whether zoning, business regulations, environmental regulations, and the countless other laws that control and restrict the creation, use, and disposal of material values. Those who disobey the dictates and edicts of politicians and bureaucrats will eventually be visited by someone with a gun. And that someone will throw them in jail or seize their property.
In truth, the “military version” of eminent domain is no different than any other version. It is simply a superficial term that inadvertently reveals the true nature and immorality of eminent domain.