Government Sues At Least 9 Arizona Landowners Over Border Fence

PHOENIX,Arizona(AP) – At least nine southern Arizona landowners are being sued by the U.S. government.

The government’s seeking temporary property condemnations in Santa Cruz County, Arizona, so it can survey and prepare to build a fence along the border with Mexico.

Congressman Raul Grijalva represents a district that includes Santa Cruz County and much of the Arizona-Mexico border. He says he’s disappointed by the condemnations and thinks they’re “an affront to private-property rights.”

The suits come less than a week after the government said it was preparing to go to court to force dozens of property owners in the southwestern United States to allow them access.

It said it was preparing to sue 11 landowners in Arizona, 71 in Texas and 20 in California. A Justice Department spokesman says Congress authorized the Homeland Security department to do what is necessary, including condemning land, to build border barriers and to install other security measures.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)