BORDER NEWS
After Trump pardon, Rep. Henry Cuellar restored to homeland security funding post
Read full article: After Trump pardon, Rep. Henry Cuellar restored to homeland security funding postAfter his corruption indictment last year, the Laredo Democrat forfeited his role as the top Democrat on the House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees more than $65 billion in annual spending.
Watch: Virtual one-on-one interview with Vicente Fox for Texas Tribune Festival
Read full article: Watch: Virtual one-on-one interview with Vicente Fox for Texas Tribune FestivalThe former president of Mexico sat down for a virtual interview with Berenice Garcia, Rio Grande Valley reporter for The Texas Tribune.
Border czar promises additional agents during celebration of soldiers, troopers in Eagle Pass
Read full article: Border czar promises additional agents during celebration of soldiers, troopers in Eagle PassGov. Greg Abbott joined four other Republican governors and federal officials in thanking Texas National Guard soldiers and Department of Public Safety troopers, stating they helped make the U.S.-Mexico border safer.
Trump administration plans to build border wall in Laredo, mayor says
Read full article: Trump administration plans to build border wall in Laredo, mayor saysThe city learned about plans to build a new barrier along the southern border during a regular meeting with the Department of Homeland Security.
Millions worth of cocaine disguised in limes shipment seized at Pharr border station
Read full article: Millions worth of cocaine disguised in limes shipment seized at Pharr border stationU.S. Customs and Border Protection agents seized more than $1.6 million worth of cocaine concealed in a trailer hauling a shipment of limes, the agency said in a news release.
“Operation Lone Star 2.0”: DPS arresting thousands of undocumented immigrants across Texas to aid Trump’s mass deportation
Read full article: “Operation Lone Star 2.0”: DPS arresting thousands of undocumented immigrants across Texas to aid Trump’s mass deportationThe Department of Public Safety has shifted from Biden-era border enforcement to helping expel people from the country, a job once exclusively done by federal authorities.
After being wrongfully deported, a South Texas man and his family navigate realities of shifting immigration policies
Read full article: After being wrongfully deported, a South Texas man and his family navigate realities of shifting immigration policiesJaime Galvan Sanchez has lived in the U.S. for more than 20 years. He was deported in less than 24 hours without due process and allowed to return. But his family is still suffering from the aftermath.
Driver caught with counterfeit vehicle registration stickers, freon canisters at Texas-Mexico border
Read full article: Driver caught with counterfeit vehicle registration stickers, freon canisters at Texas-Mexico borderA driver attempting to cross the Texas-Mexico border was arrested for having boxes of counterfeit vehicle registration stickers and canisters of freon, according to a news release.
Over $500K in heroin found hidden in tortilla presses, candy dispensers at Texas-Mexico border
Read full article: Over $500K in heroin found hidden in tortilla presses, candy dispensers at Texas-Mexico borderU.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized over $500,000 in heroin concealed inside tortilla presses and candy dispensers at the Texas-Mexico border, according to a news release.
Fewer migrant crossings lead to major changes in Eagle Pass community
Read full article: Fewer migrant crossings lead to major changes in Eagle Pass communityResidents and officials in Eagle Pass said they are seeing small but significant signs of normalcy return months after Shelby Park was closed and taken over as part of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s Operation Lone Star.
Border Patrol seizes $1.5 million+ worth of cocaine at U.S.-Mexico border
Read full article: Border Patrol seizes $1.5 million+ worth of cocaine at U.S.-Mexico borderBorder patrol officers seized more than $1.5 million in cocaine at the U.S.-Mexico border on Sunday, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) news release.
Amid Trump immigration crackdown, Texas reins in border spending and shifts focus to deportations
Read full article: Amid Trump immigration crackdown, Texas reins in border spending and shifts focus to deportationsWith border crossings at record lows, state authorities are being sent to arrest people accused of committing crimes in Texas after entering the country illegally.
Judge convicts Ecuadorian migrant of trespassing on newly formed National Defense Area near El Paso
Read full article: Judge convicts Ecuadorian migrant of trespassing on newly formed National Defense Area near El PasoThe Ecuadorian man was acquitted by a jury on a separate charge after crossing into the new military zone in May.
7 prison gang members sentenced to combined 137 years for drug trafficking near Eagle Pass and Del Rio, feds say
Read full article: 7 prison gang members sentenced to combined 137 years for drug trafficking near Eagle Pass and Del Rio, feds saySeven members of the Partido Revolucionario Mexicano (PRM) prison gang were recently sentenced to a combined 137 years in prison in a Del Rio court, according to the Department of Justice.
With only 8% built, Texas quietly defunds state border wall program
Read full article: With only 8% built, Texas quietly defunds state border wall programTexas officials suggested the federal government could pick up construction. However, during President Trump’s first term, his administration built about one-third of what the state was able to put up in the same amount of time.
After El Paso joined Abbott’s border crackdown, the number of dead migrants in the New Mexico desert surged
Read full article: After El Paso joined Abbott’s border crackdown, the number of dead migrants in the New Mexico desert surgedSince El Paso joined Operation Lone Star in 2022, migrant remains discovered in the desert west of the city have increased every year, even as they have declined in every other border sector.
Federal agencies combat firearms trafficking at Texas-Mexico border
Read full article: Federal agencies combat firearms trafficking at Texas-Mexico borderFederal agencies are intensifying their collaboration at the U.S.-Mexico border to prevent weapons from falling into the hands of criminal organizations.
$12 billion added to congressional spending bill to reimburse states like Texas for border spending
Read full article: $12 billion added to congressional spending bill to reimburse states like Texas for border spendingThe U.S. House approved the budget reconciliation bill, which also includes preservation of 2017 tax cuts and changes to Medicaid and SNAP.
Texas braces for an imminent screwworm infestation, a threat to the state’s cattle industry
Read full article: Texas braces for an imminent screwworm infestation, a threat to the state’s cattle industryU.S. Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz hope to fund an operation to kill the parasitic fly before too much damage is done.
U.S. declares military zone around El Paso, allowing soldiers to arrest migrants
Read full article: U.S. declares military zone around El Paso, allowing soldiers to arrest migrantsIt’s the second military zone the Trump administration has created at the border, following one on the New Mexico-Mexico border, where a group of migrants were arrested on Monday.
With the border quiet, Texas ponders spending another $6.5 billion on border security
Read full article: With the border quiet, Texas ponders spending another $6.5 billion on border securitySome are questioning whether lawmakers should commit billions more to border security with illegal crossings dwindling and a Trump immigration crackdown.
Hundreds of troops expected to arrive in Big Bend region for border security mission, report says
Read full article: Hundreds of troops expected to arrive in Big Bend region for border security mission, report saysMilitary presence along the U.S.-Mexico border is expected to grow in the next few weeks as part of a border security mission, according to a report from Marfa Public Radio.
‘It’s tragic’: Officials seek answers after vandalism of Quintana Road memorial honoring 53 migrants
Read full article: ‘It’s tragic’: Officials seek answers after vandalism of Quintana Road memorial honoring 53 migrantsOfficials are seeking answers after a memorial honoring the 53 migrants who were killed in a 2022 smuggling tragedy along Quintana Road was vandalized.
Tariffs could spike cost of water infrastructure projects along border region
Read full article: Tariffs could spike cost of water infrastructure projects along border regionStrengthening the water infrastructure along the border, an already costly initiative has the potential to become even more expensive.
Trump administration drops challenge to Texas law targeting people who illegally cross the border
Read full article: Trump administration drops challenge to Texas law targeting people who illegally cross the borderSenate Bill 4, the Texas law that makes illegally crossing the border a state crime, will continue to be challenged by two immigrant rights groups and El Paso County.
16 weapons, 26 magazines and 182 rounds of ammunition seized at US-Mexico border
Read full article: 16 weapons, 26 magazines and 182 rounds of ammunition seized at US-Mexico borderBorder patrol officers seized a range of weapons and ammunition at the Del Rio Port of Entry on Monday, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection press release.
What to know when bringing eggs, cascarones from Mexico into the United States
Read full article: What to know when bringing eggs, cascarones from Mexico into the United StatesAs egg prices rise, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) emphasizes restrictions on bringing egg products from Mexico to prevent the spread of diseases.
Meth worth over $2.4 million in shipment of limes seized at Texas-Mexico border
Read full article: Meth worth over $2.4 million in shipment of limes seized at Texas-Mexico borderBorder patrol officers seized over $2.4 million of methamphetamine hidden inside a shipment of limes, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection news release.
KSAT joins ICE San Antonio for exclusive ride-along amid intensified immigration enforcement
Read full article: KSAT joins ICE San Antonio for exclusive ride-along amid intensified immigration enforcementTwo and a half months into President Donald Trump’s second term and the administration continues to crack down on illegal immigration.
South Texas immigration detention center with capacity for 2,400 people to reopen
Read full article: South Texas immigration detention center with capacity for 2,400 people to reopenThe Biden administration shuttered the Dilley facility last year because of high operating costs. It’s expected to hold immigrant families under the Trump administration.
Texas produce industry reels as new tariffs strain cross-border trade
Read full article: Texas produce industry reels as new tariffs strain cross-border tradeTariffs against Mexico and Canada have only been in place for a day — and questions remain on how long they’ll be in place — but the effects are already being felt along the border.
VP Vance discusses border crossings during Eagle Pass visit
Read full article: VP Vance discusses border crossings during Eagle Pass visitFewer border crossings and President Trump’s hope for a completed border wall by the end of his term were among several topics Vice President JD Vance delved into during his first visit to the Texas-Mexico border on Wednesday afternoon.
French, Mayan dialect speakers needed as volunteers to help unaccompanied minors, nonprofit says
Read full article: French, Mayan dialect speakers needed as volunteers to help unaccompanied minors, nonprofit saysAccording to the Office of Refugee Resettlement, as of January 2025, there were about 4,096 unaccompanied migrants in the custody of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
TIMELINE: Developments in 2022 San Antonio migrant smuggling tragedy that left 53 dead
Read full article: TIMELINE: Developments in 2022 San Antonio migrant smuggling tragedy that left 53 deadOn June 27, 2022, 53 people were killed in a semitrailer smuggling incident that San Antonio Police Chief William McManus called the largest mass casualty event in San Antonio that he could remember.
Texas could sell 100 miles of border to feds, Abbott says
Read full article: Texas could sell 100 miles of border to feds, Abbott saysAbbott is in Washington this week to lobby Congress for $11 billion to compensate Texas for money spent on his Operation Lone Star, to secure the border during the Biden Administration.
US military ramps up security presence along Mexico border with spy planes
Read full article: US military ramps up security presence along Mexico border with spy planesThe U.S. military has significantly increased its presence over the Mexican border, conducting a series of missions aimed at monitoring drug cartels and enhancing border security.
Border Patrol chief calls report that agents will board buses to check students’ citizenship “absurd”
Read full article: Border Patrol chief calls report that agents will board buses to check students’ citizenship “absurd”The chief’s comments came after Alice ISD sent a letter to parents Wednesday warning students may be detained and possibly deported if they can’t prove they’re in the country legally. The letter was later removed from the district’s website.
U.S. can have our wall, bases and detention cells, Abbott tells Trump
Read full article: U.S. can have our wall, bases and detention cells, Abbott tells TrumpThe governor said the state resources are available to the federal government and requested that the U.S. reimburse Texas for the border hardening measures under Operation Lone Star.
After teasing border security rollback, Texas plunges in deeper
Read full article: After teasing border security rollback, Texas plunges in deeperTexas’ border spending exploded after Joe Biden’s election, then state leaders signaled a new willingness to reduce it when Trump won. That didn’t last long.
Texas National Guard to make immigration arrests under agreement with Trump administration, Abbott says
Read full article: Texas National Guard to make immigration arrests under agreement with Trump administration, Abbott saysTexas National Guard soldiers will have the authority to make immigration arrests under an agreement with the Trump administration, Gov. Greg Abbott said Sunday.
US warns against travel to certain areas of Texas-Mexico border due to gun battles
Read full article: US warns against travel to certain areas of Texas-Mexico border due to gun battlesThe U.S. government is asking people to avoid traveling to certain areas of the Texas-Mexico border due to security concerns.
Abbott sends state troops to U.S.-Mexico border to work with Border Patrol
Read full article: Abbott sends state troops to U.S.-Mexico border to work with Border PatrolThe 400 members of a special tactical unit left bases in Houston and Fort Worth on Monday morning, according to the governor’s office.
Laredo man arrested in connection to human smuggling operations involving 52 migrants, BCSO says
Read full article: Laredo man arrested in connection to human smuggling operations involving 52 migrants, BCSO saysA Laredo man was arrested for alleged involvement in human smuggling operations involving 52 migrants, according to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office.
U.S. Senate investigation of migrant child’s death finds poor medical care at border protection facilities
Read full article: U.S. Senate investigation of migrant child’s death finds poor medical care at border protection facilitiesThe Senate Judiciary Committee launched its investigation following the 2023 death of an 8-year-old girl at a facility in Harlingen.
Greg Abbott seeks $11 billion in federal reimbursements for border security
Read full article: Greg Abbott seeks $11 billion in federal reimbursements for border securityIn a letter to U.S. congressional leaders, the governor blamed previous border security policy for leaving Texas “defenseless,” forcing state officials to spend billions.
Migrants at Texas border in shock after Trump canceled their asylum appointments
Read full article: Migrants at Texas border in shock after Trump canceled their asylum appointmentsHours after Trump’s inauguration, his administration canceled appointments allowing migrants to enter the U.S. to request asylum, leaving many of them stranded on the U.S.-Mexico border.
Appeals court rules against DACA, but leaves protections for migrants in place
Read full article: Appeals court rules against DACA, but leaves protections for migrants in placeA federal appeals court on Friday ruled against an Obama-era policy to shield immigrants who came to the country illegally as young children, only three days before Donald Trump takes office with pledges of mass deportations.
Many Texas schools take “wait and see” approach to Trump’s mass deportation plans
Read full article: Many Texas schools take “wait and see” approach to Trump’s mass deportation plansSchools near the border say it’s hard to prepare for the unknown. Immigration advocates say they should help communities understand students’ rights.
Truck driver pleads guilty in migrant smuggling tragedy that killed 53 people in San Antonio
Read full article: Truck driver pleads guilty in migrant smuggling tragedy that killed 53 people in San AntonioA 48-year-old man pleaded guilty on Thursday to driving the tractor-trailer that was used in the deadly smuggling case in 2022.
Texas Gov. Abbott fights to keep price tag of international border campaign private
Read full article: Texas Gov. Abbott fights to keep price tag of international border campaign privateA month after launching an international billboard campaign to deter illegal migrant crossings, Governor Greg Abbott’s office is trying to keep the project’s cost a secret from taxpayers.