RIO GRANDE VALLEY

Carolina Rubio-Macwright, a Colombian immigration attorney and artist, is planning a mural that will be painted inside the center to welcome different communities and cultures who pass through. The mural is only one of several creative projects Rubio-Macwright is working on as part of the nonprofit organization she founded, Touching Land, or Tocando Tierra. As a Colombian immigrant herself, Rubio-Macwright believes in reaching out to other immigrants, providing education, and building welcoming environments. “You’re sort of thrown into the thrust of America with no information,” Rubio-Macwright said. They’re also planning to come back for an artist ‘happening’ where immigrants will be able to use ceramic clay while they absorb immigrant rights information.

Rio Grande Valley body building and powerlifting pioneer Tito Mata began lifting with bricks and coffee cans filled with cement in the 1970s. Mata was one of the first to promote the sport in the Valley, hosting various competitions during the 1980s.

COVID-19 hospitalizations continue rising across the Rio Grande Valley, increasing by more than 25% in one week. From the beginning of June, when there were 50 total patients, to the end of the month, the number of COVID-19 hospitalizations jumped by 132%. Those included 1,396 confirmed cases and 918 probable cases. Meanwhile, Starr County had 44 confirmed cases and 38 probable cases this week, according to DSHS data. Willacy County reported 41 confirmed cases and 33 probable cases.

García served as the president of the University of Texas at Brownsville until it merged with the University of Texas-Pan American to become the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. She is the first Mexican American woman to lead a college or university in the United States.

Festivities are scheduled to begin with an Independence 4K Run at 7 a.m. kicking off at Archer Park, located at 101 N. Main St. in McAllen. Residents can enjoy music, food, games and artisans at the Freedom Festival, which is scheduled to run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. PHARREven more food, fireworks and fun will be available in Pharr on Saturday, when the city will host its Independence Day Festival. HARLINGENFreedom Fest 2022 is scheduled from 4 to 9 p.m. Saturday at the Lon C. Hill Destination Park, located at 1216 Fairpark Blvd. Open to the public, the event promises fireworks at 9:01 p.m. to end the day’s festivities.

Border Patrol hosts security event Tuesday morning in the Rio Grande Valley. The event is aimed to cast a light on dangers undocumented immigrants face when entering the US.

Starr County, one of the four counties that make up the Rio Grande Valley, has not been able to produce campaign finance reports that it is required to maintain, according to a GOP group targeting the area.

The Arrowhead Ranch located in South Texas recently hit the market with a $29.75 million price tag, political history, exotic wildlife, an on-site airplane hangar and more.

Mounjaro is a potential lifesaver in a region with a high rate of obesity. But its price tag may prevent many from accessing it.

COVID-19 cases in the Rio Grande Valley are on the rise and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports the level of coronavirus is high in three Rio Grande Valley counties. According to the CDC, COVID-19 cases are high in Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties. The hospital numbers are up but not in a terrible way.”On Friday, Cameron County reported 250 new cases and one death. He said those individuals who decided not to get vaccinated and are high risk, will likely contract COVID-19. With the Fourth of July holiday coming up health officials anticipate the COVID-19 cases will increase because of gatherings that will be held to celebrate America’s birthday.

RGV PRIDE is back and better than ever Saturday as the Valley’s LGBTQIA+ community and their allies celebrate, educate and organize at the Cameron County Amphitheater and Event Center in Isla Blanca Park on South Padre Island.

June begins the annual month-long celebration of the LGBTQIA+ community in the United States, known as Pride month. RGV Pride is something that happens 365 days of the year. The event is part of a collaboration between the Valley Aids Council, South Texas Equality Project and AIDS Education and Training Center. So I wanted to show people that we have always been part of the Valley and have a lot to be proud of,” Sanchez said. “It is an even bigger push and reason why we continue to celebrate Pride and carry it to the rest of the year.

The memory of a 6-year-old boy clutching a box of cereal as if it was a teddy bear came to mind for Libby A. Vaughan on Thursday. The image, an affectionate yet painful recollection, illustrates the region’s needs as desperation pervades.

One of the main problems with the stray pet population in the Rio Grande Valley is that there are no stray pets, technically speaking. All the animals roaming the streets had a home at one point. But, for one reason or another, no one will claim them now.

The one clinic that provides abortion services in the Rio Grande Valley ceased providing abortions on Friday following the Supreme Court ruling overturning abortion rights.

BCARGV East-West All-Star Game hits San JuanSTAFF REPORTSAN JUAN — The top seniors from across the Rio Grande Valley will lace them up one last time at this year’s Baseball Coaches Association of the Rio Grande Valley All-Star Games tonight and Thursday. The Sub-5A East-West All-Stars get things started at 6 p.m. tonight at PSJA High. The 5A-6A East-West All Stars square off at 6 p.m. Thursday at PSJA High. Here are the rosters for the Sub-5A and 5A-6A East and West All-Star teams. Sub-5A West All-StarsSteven Martinez, Hidalgo; Jorge Molina, Hidalgo; Dante De La Rosa, Grulla; Derrick Amaro, Grulla; Kevin Cantu, Grulla; Ryan Galvan, Monte Alto; Devin Handy, Monte Alto; Jacob Garza, La Villa; Jayden Silguero, La Villa; Rene Reyna, La Villa; Keanu Escobar, La Villa; Arnulfo Contreras, La Villa.

The Valley Baptist Health System donated about 2,500 boxes of cereal Tuesday morning to the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley.

WAC swimming and diving championships coming to RGVBY IVAN PALACIOSSTAFF WRITERPHARR — Five months have passed since the City of Pharr and UTRGV Natatorium first opened. The facility has hosted several events since then, including the inaugural Tri-Pharr Warrior Race and the 2022 District 31-6A swimming and diving championships. Bigger things are on the horizon for the swimming facility, with the City of Pharr and UTRGV officially announced as co-hosts for the 2023 Western Athletic Conference swimming & diving championships during a news conference Monday. The 2021 WAC Championships were held at the Buchanan Natatorium in Flagstaff, Arizona. UTRGV will also host the WAC volleyball tournament his fall.

Toros make history, sign 15-year-old forward to rosterSTAFF REPORTSJust 18 days after announcing their youngest USL academy signing in club history with Jose Luna (16), the RGV FC Toros made history once again, announcing the addition of 15-year-old Dylan Hernandez to its 2022 USL Championship roster. Hernandez, a Pharr native, joins the club as a USL Academy signee, making him available for selection by the Toros during the 2022 USL Championship season while retaining his NCAA eligibility. “Dylan is one of the youngest and very talented players, with a great mentality, at this moment,” Toros head coach Wilmer Cabrera said. He joins Luna, Duilio Herrera, Alexis Gonzalez and Gael Gonzalez as USL Academy signees for the Toros, each coming from the RGV FC Academy ranks and hailing from the Rio Grande Valley. He is the fifth USL Academy signing by the Toros this year, marking the most in a single season by the club.

Legendary Rio Grande Valley high school boys basketball coach Rosendo “Roy” Garcia died Monday, his family announced. Garcia, a Los Fresnos graduate, began his coaching career as an assistant at Los Fresnos High School before becoming the boys basketball head coach at Mission High during the 1970s. Garcia spent 28 years leading Mission High’s boys basketball program. Garcia was inducted into the Rio Grande Valley Sports Hall of Fame in 1993 and the Texas High School Coaches Association Hall of Honor in 2015. Garcia was a multi-sport athlete as a quarterback for the Los Fresnos football team and star basketball player for the Falcons, earning All-American honors in 1961.

HARLINGEN — Texas added 74,200 total non-agricultural jobs in May, marking the seventh straight month of setting new employment highs. In the McAllen-Edinburg-Mission MSA, the May unemployment rate was 6.9 percent, up from 6.8 percent the previous month. This means that once again the Valley MSAs rank among the highest unemployment rates in the state, with McAllen-Edinburg-Mission at the bottom with Beaumont-Port Arthur sandwiched between at 6.5 percent. Professional and Business Services added 15,300 positions, followed by Trade, Transportation, and Utilities employment, which grew by 11,700 jobs. The Amarillo and Austin-Round Rock MSA recorded May’s lowest unemployment rate at 2.7 percent, followed by College Station-Bryan at 2.9 percent and Lubbock at 3.0 percent.

ROADS AND BRIDGESThe bulk of the testimony delivered by the witnesses revolved around the Valley’s road, drainage and broadband infrastructure needs. “We have found that many of the federal funding opportunities available to Hidalgo County have inequitable rules and criteria that make it extremely difficult — if not impossible — for us to obtain federal funding for infrastructure,” Fuentes testified. “We are requesting that the rules and criteria of new and existing federal funding programs be modified to create a more equitable distribution of federal funds,” Fuentes said. However, the testimony of Susan Kibbe, a Brooks County property rights advocate, was not about infrastructure, but rather border security. Many tried to conflate the costs of “securing the border” with why infrastructure funding falls short.

COVID-19 hospitalizations across the Rio Grande Valley are continuing their upward trend with the majority of the region now being at an increased risk of spread according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The NRCC and TX GOP also injected $1.1 million in paid voter contact efforts into the Flores campaign,” he said. In stark contrast, the Democratic House Majority PAC announced a $112,000 television advertisement buy attacking Flores during the special election on June 8, less than a week from the June 14 special election. She filed to run in the special election on April 6 following her victory in the March Republican primary for the November contest. Federal Election Commission records do not distinguish between how much Flores raised and spent during the special election and during her primary victory. The special election occurred in the old District 34 boundaries, which included voters from Goliad, Bee, San Patricio and Nueces counties.

A recent survey conducted by a national research organization reveals that a majority of Rio Grande Valley residents would prefer a public-private partnership between a local government and private sector internet service provider to provide high-speed internet service. The alternative would see local governments spending federal funds to build government-owned high-speed internet networks to connect public and government buildings, which some governments in the RGV are considering, according to Rossanna Salazar, Ross Communications managing partner. Initially, 66% of those interviewed said they would prefer to see their local government form a partnership with a service provider in order to provide internet to local residents and after learning more about it, the percentage shot up to 71%. Though that percentage shrank to 16% once the respondents learned more of the public-private partnership which would allow high-speed internet to be provided to residents who live in unserviceable areas in the Valley. Salazar says support for a partnership is widespread as 68% of Hidalgo County and 64% of Cameron County are for this option.

With food prices rising, United Way of Southern Cameron County and other organizations have stepped up to help. The organizations, which include Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley and the Brownsville Wellness Coalition, will hold a drive-thru food distribution event from 8 to 11 a.m. – or until supplies last – Friday at the Brownsville Event Center, located off Paredes Line Road in Brownsville. During that first event, motorists waited in line overnight to ensure they would receive groceries. “We know that we do have people waiting overnight to get food and we don’t encourage it. Organizers anticipate the food distribution events to continue through the summer.

Minneapolis-based Sun Country Airlines, an increasingly important transport option for Winter Texans coming to the Rio Grande Valley, is revising its fall schedule to add early-season flights.

MISSION — A non profit that works with vulnerable children introduced its new director of administration for the Rio Grande Valley on Monday. Buckner Children and Family Services held a welcome celebration Monday for Criselda Cuevas, a McAllen native, to introduce her to the community following her first few months as the new director of administration and operations. Buckner Children and Family Services works to help vulnerable children and families, according to President and CEO Albert Reyes, who was in attendance at Monday’s celebration. The organization offers ministry and programs, as well as a family help center to help families that may be struggling to stay together. “I’m hoping that we’ll be able to make a difference in more lives here in the Rio Grande Valley,” Cuevas said.

The National Republican Congressional Committee announced Wednesday that it is injecting nearly $3 million into fall television advertisement buys targeting Democrats in the Rio Grande Valley’s congressional districts.

Yes, it’s going to be a cruel, cruel summer, according to the National Weather Service Brownsville/Rio Grande Valley, with hot temperatures expected to stay around for a long while.

Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke visited the Rio Grande Valley Tuesday to discuss his plan to protect children from gun violence in schools.

McALLEN — Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke visited the Rio Grande Valley Tuesday to discuss his plan to protect children from gun violence in schools. “They tell us what we need and what we have to be scared of and what we must guard against. Greg Abbott and his depiction of the Valley and other border communities as dangerous areas that are under invasion. O’Rourke made headlines the following day when he interrupted a news conference held by Abbott and Patrick, the lieutenant governor. “What if the governor said, ‘I’m really worried, and if you want to use the word ‘scared,’ maybe I’m scared about the NRA,’” O’Rourke said.

Two hotly contested, Rio Grande Valley-centric congressional elections are headed for recounts. On Monday afternoon Ruben Ramirez, a moderate Democrat who ran against progressive Michelle Vallejo for the District 15 nomination, announced he would file a petition for a recount with the Texas Democratic Party on Tuesday. The Texas Democratic Party on Monday finished canvassing and certifying the votes, triggering the petitions for recount in the tight Democratic runoffs. In District 15, Ramirez lost to Vallejo by just 30 votes. In a statement, Ramirez said his campaign owes it to District 15 to ensure that every vote is accurately counted.

That general election also saw a significant change in the traditionally blue Texas congressional District 15. In that race, Gonzalez raised $1,257,881.45 and spent $907,999.77 to beat De La Cruz, who raised $422,613.21 and spent $416,551.57. As has been the pattern over the last few years, another significant change has impacted District 15, which could ultimately flip it red: redistricting. Now, District 15 has seven counties, including Hidalgo County, and stretches north and northeast of San Antonio and Bexar counties. The next filing deadline for De La Cruz and whoever ultimately secures the Democratic nomination is June 30.

President Donald Trump invoked Title 42 to restrict immigration during the COVID-19 pandemic. With the number of cases, and deaths, tied to the disease subsiding, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has determined that the public health threat is low enough that the Title 42 application no longer applies. It remains in place, however, due to injunctions issued in response to Republican lawsuits challenging the lifting of the restrictions. If immigration is the issue, then it must be the basis for determining whether our borders are open or closed. Officials can’t use a now-irrelevant public health issue — especially since many of those same Republicans denied that a public health threat ever existed, fighting mask mandates and other measures.

COVID-19 hospitalizations in the Rio Grande Valley are going up. Again.

On Thursday, only the Mercedes Tigers remained. The Tigers defeated Harlingen South 48-42 in a District 32-5A preview. Four of the teams were comprised of sub-varsity athletes from Harlingen High and Harlingen South, the hosts of the tournament. “This is an extremely important league,” Harlingen High coach Clayton Cretors said. “I am really pleased how my kids played,” Harlingen South coach Brian Molina said.

Based in Dallas, the Commemorative Air Force offers rides on 41 different historic aircraft across the country.

The only thing stopping them, Villalobos said, was Title 42. “(Title 42) has been a good instrument — even though it’s not an immigration policy — to assist us with immigration. Lifting Title 42, we know that there are more than 10,000 people in Reynosa waiting to enter the U.S.,” Villalobos said in Spanish. So Title 42 should be used from that,” Smith echoed a few moments later. Nonetheless, despite the controversy that exists over Title 42, Villalobos said he welcomes lawmakers of all stripes to the border.

Law enforcement authorities of various agencies gathered here at the basilica as the Catholic Diocese of Brownsville held its Blue Mass to honor first responders across the Rio Grande Valley.

Valley Baptist Health System is once again leading a community effort to provide area children and adults struggling from hunger with a healthy breakfast this summer through its Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive, benefitting the Food Bank of the Rio Grande Valley. The drive kicks off Monday, June 6 and runs through Monday, June 13. “So many families in our community are profoundly impacted by hunger and must rely on the generosity of others,” said Leslie Bingham, CEO for Valley Baptist Medical Center-Brownsville. “At Valley Baptist we understand all too well the health issues children face from hunger and poor nutrition,” said Manny Vela, CEO for Valley Baptist Medical Center-Harlingen and Valley Baptist Health System. During 2021’s Healthy Over Hungry Cereal Drive, the community joined with Valley Baptist Health System to donate more than $4,400 and 13,000 servings of cereal to help those in need throughout the Valley.

IDEA Public Schools announced Tuesday that it has named Jesus “Jesse” Zepeda as a member of the advisory board of directors for its Rio Grande Valley region.

IDEA Public Schools announced Tuesday that it has named Jesus “Jesse” Zepeda as a member of the advisory board of directors for its Rio Grande Valley region.

Biden’s administration is facing sharp criticism from both sides of the political aisle over his immigration policies and practices. The Centers for Disease and Control, the department responsible for determining the need to keep Title 42 in place, decided to lift the policy in late May. Courts intervened and delayed it, but the public health policy is, by design, temporary and not an immigration policy. But federal, state and local leaders have expressed concern over its end. We learn from when we make mistakes, and we can admit when we don’t handle something well,” the commissioner said.

There have been so many threats to Rio Grande Valley schools in the wake of the Robb Elementary school shooting Tuesday that it’s beginning to get difficult to keep up with all of them. The tragedy in Uvalde and threats locally have resulted in increased law enforcement presence and heightened security measures at virtually every school district in Hidalgo County. Hidalgo County Sheriff Eddie Guerra said the amount of threats is unprecedented. “We are not taking these things lightly.”So far ten individuals in the Valley have been arrested for threats at seven different school systems. “There’s a message that we all want to give out: if they see something, they need to say something,” Guerra said.

Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation President and CEO Josh Mejia has taken a job with another economic development organization in the Rio Grande Valley and will be stepping down from the BCIC post he’s held since Nov. 4, 2016.

The Texas jobless rate dropped slightly in April in tandem with the unemployment figures in the Rio Grande Valley.

A day after an 18-year-old man opened fire at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, killing 19 students and two teachers, law enforcement in North Texas and the Rio Grande Valley said they intercepted guns and credible threats against schools.

The mass killing of school children at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde has sent shockwaves of grief and bewilderment throughout the state and the country, and the Rio Grande Valley is not the exception.

So says Angelica Soria, meteorologist with the National Weather Service Brownsville/Rio Grande Valley station. Neither did it do much to raise the levels of Falcon Reservoir in Zapata County, less than 19 percent full as of Wednesday even after the recent rains, she said. “You never know if it’s going to be enough forcing for it to initiate storms but it definitely was (Wednesday). It’s called forcing but, what it is, it’s just a trigger for those storms to start. I would say the (long-term) outlook … is still the same as of right now.

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar’s too-close-to-call runoff got most of the attention, but three other primary runoffs Tuesday carried big stakes for Democrats as they try to defend South Texas from a new GOP offensive.

BROWNSVILLE — Wiley College added Brownsville Porter’s Jesus Maciel and Andy Hinojosa to its long list of Rio Grande Valley recruits when the pair agreed to join the college Monday. “I am excited to play more soccer and go to a good school.”The forward plans to study computer science at Wiley. “It was a very special day,” Hinojosa said about joining Wiley. “I tell these kids, if you play soccer at Porter, you can compete anywhere,” Espitia said. Wiley College is located in Marshall and has signed multiple Valley soccer players to revive its re-established team.

Tonight is the night where two Democrats will prevail in Rio Grande Valley congressional races that have been the focus of local and national attention.

Many residents across the Rio Grande Valley on Tuesday woke up to flooded streets and power outages.

Flood advisories are in effect for three Rio Grande Valley counties slammed with thunderstorms overnight Monday and Tuesday.

United States Secretary of Homeland Alejandro Mayorkas is in the Rio Grande Valley as he gets an update on border security efforts.

Cheap regulated and unregulated medication is available over the counter at Mexican pharmacies, including abortion-inducing drugs that are strictly regulated in the U.S.

A Rio Grande Valley mother claims her infant son died from a bacterial infection after consuming powdered infant formula that was later recalled.

The full and often unchecked power of the prosecutor was on display when a South Texas woman was charged with murder for a self-induced abortion.

The law went into effect in September, a week before Mexico’s Supreme Court dissolved a Coahuila state law that made abortion a crime. Now some Texans further along in their pregnancies are going there for abortion-inducing drugs.

The winner of the special election will replace former U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville, who resigned last month to work for Akin Gump.

The Rio Grande Valley, often seen as a reliable vote against abortion, has a long history of advocacy to increase access to the procedure.

Commercial traffic at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge stopped Monday and a similar protest affected traffic into and out of El Paso. The blockades could impact the flow of produce to restaurants and grocery stores.

A special election will determine who finishes Vela’s term, and while the winner will only serve for a short period, Republicans are already eyeing the contest to show momentum in South Texas.

Democrats in the region still had higher turnout, but Republicans celebrated the narrowing of the gap. Despite the improvement, nearly 87% of registered voters in the Rio Grande Valley did not vote in the primary, similar to the rate in 2018.

The administration says it’s filling in wall gaps for agent safety and flood control, and documents suggest an environmental assessment for 86 miles of wall in South Texas is a stalling tactic.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposed a rule earlier this week to list the prostrate milkweed, which lives along the Texas-Mexico border, as an endangered species. The rare plant is threatened in part by border security activities, scientists say.

Police officers in the Rio Grande Valley discovered more than 700 gallons of liquid meth worth at least $10 million inside a tanker trailer.

The National Butterfly Center, along the U.S.-Mexico border in Mission, has been the target of conspiracy theorists since 2019.

Gov. Greg Abbott delivered remarks Thursday at a border security briefing in the Rio Grande Valley with attorneys general from across the country.

The Brownsville Democrat said his resignation will be effective Jan. 31. That sets up a potential special election to finish his term, though whoever wins would only serve for a short time.

The Republican governor officially announced his reelection campaign Saturday in McAllen, while likely Democratic opponent Beto O'Rourke campaigned in El Paso.

Republicans including former state Sen. Don Huffines of Dallas and former Texas GOP chair Allen West are challenging Abbott for the Republican nomination.

The U.S. government has withdrawn from settlement negotiations to end lawsuits filed on behalf of parents and children who were forcibly separated under the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance border policy.

Lucio announced Thursday that he is not seeking reelection after three decades in the Senate.

The Brownsville Democrat, who made the announcement Thursday, has served in the upper chamber since 1991.

Garza, a former lawyer for the American Civil Liberties Union, had been running to succeed retiring U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville. U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, is now running for Vela's seat after redistricting made Gonzalez's seat more competitive for Republicans.

Texas lawmakers made Gonzalez’s current 15th Congressional District more competitive for Republicans. The representative now plans to run in the 34th District, which is safer for Democrats.

Designed more than a century ago, the Rio Grande Valley’s canal system in South Texas was built to irrigate the booming agricultural industry that once dominated the local economy.

The likely new district comes as Texas Republicans continue to try to make new inroads in South Texas after the 2020 election.

With proposed maps out, U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, D-McAllen, says he might switch to a neighboring district where U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville, is retiring. The initial maps are also sure to impact decisions in regional legislative races.

Wednesday marks the 20th anniversary of the tragic collapse of the Queen Isabella Causeway, which took the lives of eight people.

Border wall opponents say President Joe Biden broke his promise to halt border wall construction when Homeland Security started building a wall and calling it a levee.

Migrant crossings on the U.S.-Mexico border reached a 21-year high in July. This video takes you to the epicenter: Texas’ Rio Grande Valley, where more crossings are happening than in any other region in the country.

The U.S. Justice Department sued Abbott and Texas after U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland called the order “dangerous and unlawful.”

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, will hold a news conference with Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-South Carolina, on Friday morning to discuss COVID-19 and immigration.

One day after Abbott told state troopers to pull over vehicles with migrants suspected of having COVID-19, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said the governor's order violated federal law.

A Laredo man who attempted to cross the Mexico-Texas border with drugs inside his “lunch” last year was recently sentenced to prison after pleading guilty, according to the Department of Justice.

Wyoming's governor says he's looking at how the state might send National Guard troops or other help to bolster security at the border with Mexico.

Many local officials and business leaders along the border say that the rhetoric is misplaced and that the broader needs of their communities can often get lost.

With Texans finally stepping out in public again, we asked photographers across the state to give us a look at people enjoying themselves after the long shutdown.

U.S. Sen. John Cornyn, U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar and U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales will tour the Texas-Mexico border in the Rio Grande Valley on Wednesday to get an update on the migrant surge in the region. The congressional delegation from Texas will be joined by Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.

Gustavo de la Fuente comes from a small town in the Rio Grande Valley. He was raised by a single mother who immigrated from Mexico when she was a little girl. “It was really difficult for her, quite honestly, for her raising us. But she really persevered and she gave us all the options she could that she didn’t have.” Gustavo said.

A compound of tents to detain migrant children and families was evacuated for hours when struck by fierce winds in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley.

The number of unaccompanied children encountered on the U.S. border with Mexico in April eased from an all-time high a month earlier, while more adults are coming without families.

The Biden administration has struck an agreement with Mexico, Honduras and Guatemala to temporarily surge troops to their borders in an effort to reduce the tide of migration to the U.S. border.

Migrant families will be held at hotels in the Phoenix area in response to a growing number of people crossing the U.S.-Mexico border, another step in the Biden’s administration rush to set up temporary space.

U.S. authorities say they picked up nearly 19,000 children traveling alone across the Mexican border in March.

Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday held a press conference in the Rio Grande Valley where he provided an update on Texas’ response to the surge of migrants at the southern border through Operation Lone Star.