In Eagle Pass, Texas, where the Rio Grande forms part of the US-Mexico border, a year after Donald Trump's win in the 2024 elections, some residents are questioning their support for him. The city, known as El Paso del Águila, has seen record highs in migrant crossings since the Biden administration took office, prompting a backlash against the administration's immigration policies.
While many voters supported Trump's stance on border security, concerns have grown about the tactics used to enforce his "mass deportation agenda." Since Trump's inauguration, federal agents have disrupted communities by arresting parents with their children, visiting schools and daycare facilities, and accidentally detaining US citizens. This has jarringly affected residents like Manuel Mello III, who have been on the frontlines of border issues for decades.
Mello described seeing migrants crossing the Rio Grande with severe injuries, including broken femurs and emergency childbirths. The Eagle Pass fire department received over 400 emergency calls in 2024 and reported eight drownings. However, this year, the number has decreased to fewer than 100 calls and three drownings. Mello emphasized that deporting people does not fix the system.
Meanwhile, some residents have become increasingly uncomfortable with Trump's policies. Ricardo Lopez, a 79-year-old resident of Eagle Pass who ran for city council in 2024, recalled the drastic change that occurred after the election. He remembered thousands of migrants crossing the Rio Grande daily and foreign journalists roaming the town's streets. Lopez stated that he voted for Trump because "don't you see what is happening?" The issue wasn't about Trump himself but rather the fact that his policies addressed the problem.
Trump signed an order declaring a national emergency to allow additional US troops at the southern border, further tightening immigration restrictions. He also terminated a mobile phone app created under Biden's administration called CBP One, which allowed people in Mexico to cross into the US legally and apply for asylum. Since then, residents have witnessed a significant decline in migrant crossings.
Joshua Blank, research director of the Texas Politics project, attributed Maverick county's shift towards Trump to broader political dynamics in the state. He suggested that Republicans were seeking to expand their appeal among Latinos by addressing issues like blue-collar concerns and immigration. However, he also argued that Democrats have failed to engage with this demographic effectively.
As part of Operation Lone Star, an 80-acre base camp was established in Eagle Pass to house 1,800 Texas national guard soldiers. Troops deployed there have set up razor wire barriers along the Rio Grande, ordering migrants to return to Mexico. The initiative has led to over 500,000 apprehensions of undocumented people.
However, some residents are also concerned about the environmental degradation resulting from Trump and Abbott's crackdown on migration. Jessie Fuentes, owner of a kayaking company in Eagle Pass, filed a lawsuit to stop the installation of floating barriers on the Rio Grande, citing the harm this has caused the river, which has been part of his family's heritage for over 200 years.
The city of Eagle Pass remains torn about Trump's policies and the impact they've had on its residents. While some support his stance on border security, others question the tactics used to enforce it and worry about the consequences for the environment and the community itself.
While many voters supported Trump's stance on border security, concerns have grown about the tactics used to enforce his "mass deportation agenda." Since Trump's inauguration, federal agents have disrupted communities by arresting parents with their children, visiting schools and daycare facilities, and accidentally detaining US citizens. This has jarringly affected residents like Manuel Mello III, who have been on the frontlines of border issues for decades.
Mello described seeing migrants crossing the Rio Grande with severe injuries, including broken femurs and emergency childbirths. The Eagle Pass fire department received over 400 emergency calls in 2024 and reported eight drownings. However, this year, the number has decreased to fewer than 100 calls and three drownings. Mello emphasized that deporting people does not fix the system.
Meanwhile, some residents have become increasingly uncomfortable with Trump's policies. Ricardo Lopez, a 79-year-old resident of Eagle Pass who ran for city council in 2024, recalled the drastic change that occurred after the election. He remembered thousands of migrants crossing the Rio Grande daily and foreign journalists roaming the town's streets. Lopez stated that he voted for Trump because "don't you see what is happening?" The issue wasn't about Trump himself but rather the fact that his policies addressed the problem.
Trump signed an order declaring a national emergency to allow additional US troops at the southern border, further tightening immigration restrictions. He also terminated a mobile phone app created under Biden's administration called CBP One, which allowed people in Mexico to cross into the US legally and apply for asylum. Since then, residents have witnessed a significant decline in migrant crossings.
Joshua Blank, research director of the Texas Politics project, attributed Maverick county's shift towards Trump to broader political dynamics in the state. He suggested that Republicans were seeking to expand their appeal among Latinos by addressing issues like blue-collar concerns and immigration. However, he also argued that Democrats have failed to engage with this demographic effectively.
As part of Operation Lone Star, an 80-acre base camp was established in Eagle Pass to house 1,800 Texas national guard soldiers. Troops deployed there have set up razor wire barriers along the Rio Grande, ordering migrants to return to Mexico. The initiative has led to over 500,000 apprehensions of undocumented people.
However, some residents are also concerned about the environmental degradation resulting from Trump and Abbott's crackdown on migration. Jessie Fuentes, owner of a kayaking company in Eagle Pass, filed a lawsuit to stop the installation of floating barriers on the Rio Grande, citing the harm this has caused the river, which has been part of his family's heritage for over 200 years.
The city of Eagle Pass remains torn about Trump's policies and the impact they've had on its residents. While some support his stance on border security, others question the tactics used to enforce it and worry about the consequences for the environment and the community itself.
... like, i get that he was trying to do something about the border but deporting people doesn't fix anything 
... my grandma told me stories about how hard it was for her parents when they came to this country, and now we're basically saying "welcome back" to ppl who are already hurt 
... and what's with all these military troops? 
i don't want to see our own soldiers getting caught in the middle of this mess 
!! so like there r these record highs of migrant crossings & ppl r startin 2 wonder if they even voted 4 trump lol idk bout me but i think deportin ppl dont solve nothin 
i mean whatevs happnd 2 all those migrants w/ broken bones & emergency childbirths 
& now theres only like 100 calls @ the fire dept 
. 
'don't u see wut's happnin'?' i get it lol trump's policies r like literally killin the river 
& environment rn 
republicans wanna appeal 2 latinos & do somethin bout blue-collar issues 
but dems gotta catch up w/ dat too 
some folks are all like "immigration reform now" 
while others are all "deportation is not the answer" 
what's crazy is how the migrant crossings have gone from record highs to like a tiny fraction of that since 2024 
and it's not just about trump, it's about the broader state politics too 
! But what's happening in Eagle Pass, Texas, is making many residents lose their balance. The policies implemented by Trump are causing harm to both the migrants and the environment 
. It's time for leaders to find a new path, one that balances security with compassion 
. As the great Maya Angelou once said, "You may not control all the events that happen to you, but you can decide not to be reduced by them."
. Like, I get that we need to keep our borders secure, but at what cost? I mean, parents are getting arrested with their kids, schools are being disrupted... it's just not right 
. Trump's policies might have reduced migrant crossings, but at what cost to our community? I'm starting to wonder if we were all wrong about voting for him in 2024 
. And yeah, there have been some bad things happen, like people getting hurt while trying 2 cross the border 
.
. And if ppl in Eagle Pass are seeing fewer migrant crossings, maybe that's a good thing? 
It's all about perspective, I guess 
. Can't we just try 2 have a calm & rational conversation about this stuff instead of getting so worked up? 
.
. I mean, can't we find ways to protect our rivers and wildlife without resorting to barbaric measures? The floating barriers are just another example of how we're prioritizing politics over people (and the planet) 
. No more knee-jerk reactions or pandering to one side of the aisle 
. Let's get back to having a nuanced conversation about how we can build a better future for all Texans 
.
. trump's policies might be good for border security, but at what cost to the community? is it really worth sacrificing the well-being of migrants and US citizens alike just to avoid a certain problem? 
#BorderControversy I mean, Trump's policies might've been good for the economy and all, but at what cost? The way he's been cracking down on migrants is just causing more problems than it solves 
#EaglePassProblems It's crazy to think that Trump signed that national emergency order, but did anyone really consider the long-term effects? 
It's like, don't get me wrong, we need some kind of solution to these border issues but... 