There's going to be people who will have to give up property due to eminent domain. They get fair market value for the land, but there are also other factors.
One, for example would be water access. Do their livestock use the river. I'm asking, because I don't know. Do they have rec activities, like boat ramps, etc?
Small change bullshit to us, but it's a big deal for them. This guy represents them, so if they're his donors he has to yap. That's what they pay him to do.
Other factor, just throwing this out there, is that the perhaps cartels pay the landowners to look the other way. Old mafia protection racket may be in play, too. In this worst case scenario these guys are out of a money source, and, if they did cooperate with cartels risk having their property seized.
I'm going by what the big cowboy dude who gave DJT a belt buckle said at the press conference in Texas, Eminent domain is an issue. Big cowboy dude understood the wall comes first, others might not.