International Industrial Park, Inc. v. United States

80 Fed. Cl. 522, 2008 U.S. Claims LEXIS 48, 2008 WL 576332
CourtUnited States Court of Federal Claims
DecidedFebruary 22, 2008
DocketNo. 06-876L
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 80 Fed. Cl. 522 (International Industrial Park, Inc. v. United States) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Court of Federal Claims primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
International Industrial Park, Inc. v. United States, 80 Fed. Cl. 522, 2008 U.S. Claims LEXIS 48, 2008 WL 576332 (uscfc 2008).

Opinion

[523]*523 OPINION AND ORDER

WHEELER, Judge.

This case is before the Court on Defendant’s motion to dismiss, or in the alternative, for summary judgment. The case presents Fifth Amendment taking issues arising from the activities of the United States Border Patrol (“Border Patrol”) on Plaintiffs 100-acre property, located in southern California near the border with Mexico. Plaintiff, International Industrial Park, Inc. («HP”), aPeggg that agents of the Border Patrol have entered HP’s property for many years in pursuit of illegal immigrants for roundup and arrest. IIP asserts that the Border Patrol’s activities on its property have intensified since September 11, 2001, as law enforcement officials have expanded their efforts to prevent terrorism in the United States. IIP claims that the Border Patrol’s conduct constitutes a physical taking of its property, entitling IIP to just compensation under the Fifth Amendment. IIP filed its complaint in this Court on December 22, 2006.

Defendant has moved to dismiss HP’s complaint under Rule 12(b)(1) for lack of subject matter jurisdiction, arguing that the activities of which IIP complains have been ongoing for more than six years prior to the filing of this action, and therefore the complaint is barred by the applicable six-year statute of limitations. See 28 U.S.C. § 2501. Defendant also contends under Rule 12(b)(6) that HP has faded to state a claim upon which relief can be granted. Defendant states that IIP does not have a property right protected by the Fifth Amendment to exclude Border Patrol agents from its property, and that entry upon the property in pursuit of illegal immigrants is an exercise of the United States’ police power, which does not give rise to a compensable claim. Defendant has moved in the alternative for summary judgment under Rule 56.

IIP opposes Defendant’s motion, arguing that the expansion of Border Patrol activities on its property since September 11, 2001 constitutes a new basis for suit. Based upon the declaration of David Wick, the property’s manager, and other supporting documents, IIP points to the completion of border fencing that has the effect of funneling illegal immigrants onto HP’s property. IIP also alleges that the Border Patrol has graded roads on the property, and has engaged in conduct that has become a continuous presence and occupation rather than an occasional entry. Mr. Wick’s declaration refers to intrusive Border Patrol activities that have disrupted projects on the property, and prevented IIP from leasing or selling the property to others. IIP disagrees that such conduct constitutes a reasonable exercise of police power, and asserts that it is entitled to a trial on the merits of its taking claim.

Defendant filed its motion on October 16, 2007. Plaintiff filed its opposition to Defendant’s motion on November 21, 2007, as corrected on November 30, 2007, and Defendant filed its reply on December 21, 2007. Both parties have submitted exhibits with their filings that include a number of declarations and excerpts of depositions. The Court heard oral argument on January 29, 2008.

For the reasons explained below, the Court concludes that Defendant’s motion to dismiss, or in the alternative, for summary judgment, should be denied. After considering the evidence presented by the parties, and accepting Plaintiffs allegations as true where appropriate, the Court finds that: (1) Plaintiffs taking claims are not time-barred; (2) Plaintiff has stated a claim upon which relief can be granted; and (3) genuine issues of fact exist on whether the Border Patrol’s actions constitute a compensable taking of Plaintiffs property.

Factual Background1

HP’s property consists of a 100-acre tract of largely unimproved land near the border between the United States and Mexico. The parties refer to the property as “Parcel 11,” and it is located east of San Diego, California in a sparsely populated area known as East Otay Mesa, at the base of the Otay Mountains. Parcel 11 is approximately 14 miles [524]*524from the Pacific Ocean. The southern boundary of Parcel 11 is 1.56 miles from the U.S./Mexico border. To the south, directly across the border is the densely populated city of Tijuana.

Plaintiff acquired Parcel 11 in 1983 under the name of 275 Corporation. In 1987, the name changed to Rancho De La Fuente, and in 1992 to International Industrial Park, Inc. The officers of IIP are Roque De La Fuente and his mother, Bertha De La Fuente. Parcel 11 is designated on San Diego County’s Regional Plan for heavy industrial development, such as rock crushing, power generation, auto salvage, recycling, or other uses that typically are located outside of population centers. Since acquiring the property, Plaintiff planned to lease Parcel 11 to suitable entities engaged in specialized industrial uses when market conditions became advantageous. To date, Plaintiff has leased Parcel 11 for dry farming, equipment storage, or other industrial purposes. Parcel 11 is managed by SD Commercial, LLC, owned by David Wick and three trusts in the names of Mr. De La Fuente’s children.

The United States Border Patrol is part of the Department of Homeland Security, Bureau of Customs and Border Protection, and is the lead federal agency charged with securing the international border between the United States and Mexico. Border Patrol operations are divided into sectors. The San Diego Sector Office is responsible for an area north of Tijuana and Teeate, Mexico, cities with a combined population of two million people. The mission of the Border Patrol is to prevent, detect or apprehend persons seeking to enter the United States illegally at places not officially designated as Ports of Entry. Parcel 11 is within the patrol responsibility of the Chula Vista Station, one of the stations under the jurisdiction of the Border Patrol’s San Diego Sector Office.

The United States owns an easement providing the Border Patrol with the right to cross the northern portion of Parcel 11 from Alta Road to the Otay Truck Trail, also known as the Otay Mountain Road. The Bureau of Land Management acquired this easement in 1989 from Mr. De La Fuente. In 1996-97, the Government made approximately $5 million in improvements to the Otay Truck Trail, to provide the Border Patrol with all weather road access to the Otay Mountain area.

Prior to 1990, the international border near San Diego was poorly marked and presented no real barrier to entry. Many areas were unfenced, or in some locations there were only agricultural fences. In 1990, the Border Patrol, with the assistance of the National Guard, began construction of the San Diego Border Primary Fence that now stretches from the Pacific Ocean 14 miles eastward toward Parcel 11. The Primary Fence is approximately ten feet high and is constructed of steel matting. Defendant states that the Border Patrol completed the Primary Fence in 1993.

In 1994, the Border Patrol began the “Operation Gatekeeper” program, which involved large increases in the number of agents assigned to the San Diego Sector, and the deployment of Border Patrol agents directly along the border. The agents began using more sophisticated equipment, such as night vision goggles, additional seismic sensors, and portable lighting platforms.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
80 Fed. Cl. 522, 2008 U.S. Claims LEXIS 48, 2008 WL 576332, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/international-industrial-park-inc-v-united-states-uscfc-2008.