The Brownsville
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Democrat Bobby Pulido was elected to Texas' 15th Congressional District Tuesday night, beating two-term Republican incumbent Monica De La Cruz after she conceded shortly after 10 p.m. The 15th district spans from the U.S.-Mexico border to areas ...
Students are developing a nanoparticle-based sensor designed to detect cracks in bridges without physical contact, potentially improving infrastructure The post UTRGV develops sensor to detect cracks in bridges appeared first on The Rider Newspaper ....
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — All international bridges connecting Brownsville and Matamoros were briefly closed Thursday amid violence and roadblocks in Mexico following the reported capture of a top cartel leader. The bridges have since reopened, but the security situation...
On Wednesday dozens of faith-based and community leaders were at the center to speak out against hunger and food insecurities that are plaguing this South Texas border region. And to urge voters to elect leaders who will help....
U. S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at the Veterans International Bridge seized over $611,000 in alleged cocaine last Wednesday. On Oct. 21, officers referred a 2005 International with an attached flatbed driven by a 39-year-old Mexican citizen from Matamoros, Ta...
Award-winning Mexican American author Reyna Grande spoke about immigration, representation and storytelling as an act of resistance during The post An immigrant author’s journey: Liberal Arts programs host talk series at UTRGV appeared first on The Rider Newspaper ....
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — On this week’s edition of ValleyCentral Weekend Report, Anchor Alejandra Yanez breaks down all the news of the week. Gov. Greg Abbott claimed this week he was endorsed by several Democratic sheriffs in South Texas, though three of them say they ...
B ROWNSVILLE — The last quarter of the 2026 fiscal year was a mixed bag for crossings at Cameron County’s international bridges, with some showing big gains and even bigger losses compared to their performance a year prior. County Administrator Pete Sepulveda Jr. updated county c...
The Los Indios International Bridge, also known as the Free Trade Bridge, is seen in this undated photo. (Courtesy: Cameron County) L os Indios International Bridge has been awarded nearly $9.2 million in federal funding for a commercial truck parking facility, according to an an...
An Army Chinook helicopter that was part of new border patrols over the Rio Grande Valley encountered mechnical troubles, according to an Army report.
D uring the U.S.-Mexico war 180 years ago, hundreds of U.S. Army regulars who were natives of Ireland deserted and joined the other side, in part due to brutal punishment and other forms of mistreatment, including anti-immigrant prejudice, they’d suffered in the U.S. Army of the ...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The mother of a slain Border Patrol agent who was killed during a failed robbery attempt in Willacy County 12 years ago took the podium at President Donald Trump's rally in San Antonio on Wednesday. Marie Vega, who said she's from La Feria, is t...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) - Hurricane Isaias will continue to get stronger out in the Gulf, and even though it will stay very far away from the Rio Grande Valley, we will still get some impacts from it. The current forecast brings the hurricane inland near the Alabama/Flor...
Border Report on Wednesday confirmed that "hundreds" of military troops have been repositioned from other border posts to the Rio Grande Valley and are actively patrolling from McAllen, in Hidalgo County, and throughout Starr County. It comes after Coast Guard were shot at Sept. ...
U. S. military and Mexican government officials have announced they are sending hundreds of troops to the border along the Rio Grande Valley. Cooperation between our two countries is a good thing, but they should provide more information to local officials, and to Valley resident...
Increased immigration enforcement has concerned the Rio Grande Valley community about how the presence of federal agents is The post The rise of ICE in the RGV appeared first on The Rider Newspaper ....
T he recent crackdown on immigration has affected our entire country, but probably the areas most affected are those along the border such as the Rio Grande Valley, where immigrants comprise a larger percentage of the population. Local officials, advocates and observers note that...
Brownsville’s rich blend of art, history and border culture has earned statewide recognition, opening the door to new opportunities for local artists and cultural organizations....
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — La Unión del Pueblo Entero (LUPE) hosted an event to connect and organize against immigration raids and Flock cameras around the Rio Grande Valley. On Saturday, LUPE staff, members, and partner organizations gathered in San Juan to talk about ta...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — On the latest edition of Valley Voices, Marco Ramirez sits down with the starring actors of the newly released film, "Borderline", which was mostly shot in Brownsville. Israel Zallar and Brenda Patricia Garza are from the Rio Grande Valley and a...
McALLEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security detained a Mexican citizen in August after she was accused of improperly registering to vote in Cameron County. Officers detained Arantza Maria Chapa, 29, of Brownsville on Aug. 9 as part of a federal voter...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) - A strange discovery for U.S. Border Patrol agents who were questioning a driver at the Sarita checkpoint. One of the agencies drug dogs detected four spider monkeys stuffed inside a duffel bag. According to a social media post from Border Patrol...
BY ALEXANDREA BAILEY and ERIKA DE LOS REYES | STAFF WRITERS I mmigration and Customs Enforcement activity in Rio Grande Valley communities have dominated headlines since 2025, and with a shortage of reliable data, researchers have employed the Freedom of Information Act to show t...
A 33-year-old Brownsville man was sentenced to prison for possession of child sexual abuse material after attempting to enter the United States while traveling with a child he claimed was his sister. Jose Jaime Baeza Jr. was sentenced to 15 years in prison after U.S. Customs and ...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A registered sex offender was sentenced to prison after officers discovered child pornography on his phone during an inspection at the Brownsville & Matamoros International Bridge. According to the United States Attorney’s Office for the Souther...
The Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation (BCIC) has opened applications for four upcoming eBridge Business Academy cohorts beginning Oct.7.
R URAL HIDALGO COUNTY — On a particularly humid Thursday morning, Ana Carolina “Caly” Fernandez drove a U-Haul truck full of provisions down the street of a colonia, where she would be delivering food to one of the most impoverished areas in the Rio Grande Valley. With the curren...
By Berenice Garcia | The Texas Tribune P HARR — Kimberly Trujillo became a card-carrying member of La Unión del Pueblo Entero only two months ago. But already, she’s stepped into a leadership position for one of the organization’s most important events. The 24-year-old Brownsvill...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The federal government has asked a judge to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a Donna family over an immigration raid that happened in their home in January, according to court records. The motion to dismiss was filed in the Southern District of Texas ...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Democratic gubernatorial candidate and Rio Grande Valley native Gina Hinojosa kicked off a homecoming campaign Tuesday morning to connect with communities about the economy, border security and public schools. Hinojosa's first stop was a constru...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Pharr International Bridge discovered more than $25 million worth of methamphetamine hidden in a shipment of vegetables. On Tuesday, Sept. 8, a tractor trailer traveling from Reynosa to Pharr wa...
Special to the PRESS Runners and walkers will take over a portion of the Queen Isabella Memorial Bridge Saturday morning as the 11th Annual Summer Causeway Run & Fitness Walk returns to the Laguna Madre area. The event is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 12, beginning at 6:30 a.m., ...
A literary festival in the Rio Grande Valley is crossing borders to share the love of reading. In 2026, the deeply rooted South Texas Book Festival, an annual award-winning community event hosted by the McAllen Public Library, is honoring its bilingual and borderland literature p...
C ameron County commissioners approved the budget and tax rate for the upcoming fiscal year during their regular meeting on Sept. 1. They also heard a Border Patrol request to test a rescue beacon at a county park, an update on state funding for road projects and the progress of ...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The city of McAllen had a head start on Hispanic Heritage Month with a celebration on Tuesday with leaders from Saltillo, Mexico. Leaders from both cities came together at the McAllen Performing Arts Center to honor 200 years of history and part...
Immigration and Customs Enforcement may soon implement the use of electric shock gloves as they plan to spend The post UTRGV faculty, students react to ICE plans to give officers electric gloves appeared first on The Rider Newspaper ....
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — More than 1,000 pounds of alleged methamphetamine were found hidden within a shipment of leeks at the Pharr International Bridge, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. On Aug. 22, CBP officers seized the alleged meth from a tractor-tr...
BROWNSVILLE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A federal judge in Brownsville is expected to issue a written order Wednesday on whether Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent Christian Castro will remain in custody in Texas or be extradited to Minnesota to face criminal assault charges....
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers found more than 1,000 pounds of methamphetamine hidden within a shipment of laundry detergent at the Roma International Bridge. The seizure happened Aug. 11 when an officer referred a 2012 tractor-trai...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — In this week's episode of Inside Valley Politics, host Brian Svendsen breaks down changes to U.S. Navy policies and border wall construction and sits down with U.S. Senate candidate James Talarico for a discussion. The United States Navy announc...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers seized approximately 47 pounds of cocaine at the Pharr International Bridge last week. On Aug. 7, CBP officers stationed at the Pharr bridge came across a tractor-trailer traveling from Reynosa, Mexico...
M ONTE ALTO — Rio Grande Valley farmers are seeking solutions to the loss of labor they are facing after their farms have been repeatedly targeted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents. That was the topic of discussion during a roundtable at Rio Farms Inc. with U.S. ...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) -- The city of Roma is linking ongoing construction of the border wall to the source of a foul odor in its water distribution system. City officials were made aware of the odor on Monday after residents reported an "unusual" odor, prompting an inv...
The eBridge Fund, sponsored by the Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation (BCIC), is helping bridge that gap by providing a more accessible financing option for small businesses throughout Cameron County....
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — On this week’s edition of ValleyCentral Weekend Report, Anchor Alexia Serrata breaks down all the news of the week. Starting with the biggest stories of the week, in case you missed them. Big changes are coming to the U.S. immigration policy nex...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — The Rio Hondo lift bridge has reopened after being closed for a few hours on Friday for maintenance. According to the Texas Department of Transportation, the bridge was scheduled to be closed until 3 p.m., but work was completed early. The bridg...
By DIANTÉ MARIGNY editor@portisabelsouthpadre.com Recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in Cameron County have sparked emotional reactions across the Laguna Madre area after videos circulated on social media showing agents detaining individuals, includi...
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin visited the Rio Grande Valley border on Tuesday and met with border law enforcement agents and viewed new border wall and border buoys put in the Rio Grande....
A little church just past a strip of border wall in the Rio Grande Valley once served as a resting point for slaves seeking freedom in Mexico. Recently, with the help of a life-long historical researcher, Hidalgo County leaders ensured its place in history. Last month, on July 7,...
HARLINGEN, Texas (AP) — The Trump administration is packing immigration courtrooms and giving less lead-time on hearings in an effort to clear a decades-long backlog. The result is a historic rise in the number of people missing court dates and being immediately ordered deported ...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Cameron County has been granted a Presidential Permit authorizing the county to own, operate and maintain the Brownsville and Matamoros Bridge. The county received an official notification that the permit had been granted on Thursday, according ...
PHARR, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Builders from across the Rio Grande Valley and Texas gathered in Pharr on Wednesday, saying recent immigration enforcement has created labor shortages that are delaying construction projects and increasing the cost of building new homes. The South T...
“B orderline,” an explosive thriller filmed largely in Brownsville and centered around immigration, dark conspiracies and media manipulation, debuted on July 17 in select theaters in five states — none of them Texas — and is now available on Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV. The f...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Congressman Vicente Gonzalez on Tuesday released a statement regarding recent raids by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in the Rio Grande Valley, vowing to work with local leaders to find solutions that will keep people safe. The statement co...
Entrepreneurs looking to start a business or strengthen an existing one are invited to participate in the eBridge Business Academy, a free seven-session program designed to provide the tools and knowledge needed to build a successful business....
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Homeland Security Investigations McAllen is conducting an enforcement operation in the upper Valley, a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokesperson confirmed Friday afternoon. The operation is part of an ongoing criminal investigation. ...
The Traffic Division of the City of Brownsville's Department of Engineering and Public Works is notifying residents and motorists of an upcoming road closure as part of a Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) bridge replacement project....
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Bertha was downgraded to a tropical depression on Thursday evening as it continued to push inland. The showers that swept across the Valley earlier have shifted south of the border, and southeasterly winds will keep flowing through the region. T...
PORT ISABEL, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Some Port Isabel residents say fear surrounding federal immigration enforcement is changing daily life in their community, with some families avoiding work, delaying errands and relying on neighbors for help. Brenda Jimenez Dumas, who owns a l...
HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Residents can get a variety of free health and veterinary services during Operation Border Health events happening across the Valley this week. The events are happening in all four Valley counties from Tuesday, July 21, through Thursday, July 23...
