WASHINGTON (AP) - Some Texas mayors and business leaders today
filed a class-action lawsuit over plans to build a border fence.
The suit filed in Washington alleges Homeland Security Secretary
Michael Chertoff hoodwinked landowners into waiving their property
rights for construction of the fence.
Members of the Texas Border Coalition say Chertoff did not
fairly negotiate compensation for access to land for six-month
surveys to choose fence sites.
The coalition of mayors and business and community leaders is
seeking an injunction to block work on the fence.
They also want a federal judge to rescind all the agreements
with landowners and to order Chertoff to start again.
The department has denied allegations of unfair negotiations.
The lawsuit also names Robert Janson, director of Asset
Management at U.S. Customs and Border Protection.