TUCSON, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- The U.S. Justice Department is suing nine Santa Cruz County, Ariz., landowners to have their properties temporarily condemned for survey work along the border.
The suits, filed in Tucson, seek to use the federal government's right to eminent domain to temporarily condemn the properties so authorities can conduct survey work for a fence along the Mexican border, the Arizona Daily Star reported Thursday.
The suits are part of an expected 100-plus lawsuits being filed or planned in Texas, California and Arizona to allow the government access to private lands.
"At this point, we don't know where the fence is going to be built, and that's why these surveys are going to be needed," said Justice Department spokesman Andrew Ames.
Ames said the government will reimburse property owners for land used to construct the fence.
The fence is part of President Bush's plan to erect 370 miles of fencing and 300 miles of vehicle barriers along the Mexican border before the end of 2008.
