Border crossings down across the Valley, country

HARLINGEN, Texas (ValleyCentral) — International bridge crossings in Cameron County have decreased, resulting in a $300,000 revenue loss for the county, according to County Administrator Pete Sepulveda.

Sepulveda noted that the decline in traffic is part of a broader trend affecting border communities from Brownsville to San Diego. He attributed the decrease to issues related to immigration and tariffs, which have negatively impacted trade and commercial crossings.

"Revenue-wise we are about $300,000 less than we were a year ago and in terms of percentage about three to five percent decrease in traffic," Sepulveda said. "From Brownsville to San Diego, they are all seeing the same thing."

Sepulveda explained that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has occasionally shut down bridges due to immigration issues, contributing to the decline in crossings. Additionally, tariffs have disrupted trade, further reducing commercial traffic.

Residents like Eduardo Rodriguez have noticed the decrease in traffic and cite economic concerns, insecurity, and fear of immigration enforcement as contributing factors.

Sepulveda emphasized the need for stable policies regarding immigration and tariffs to restore traffic levels. He mentioned that human nature leads to reduced crossings when there is uncertainty in policy.

With two months left in the fiscal year, Sepulveda expressed concern about future budget impacts, stating that large capital expenditures might be delayed if necessary.

Sepulveda remains concerned about the long-term budget implications if traffic does not rebound, highlighting the need for policy stability to ensure economic recovery for border communities.

All facts in this report were gathered by journalists employed by KVEO. Artificial intelligence tools were used to reformat from a broadcast script into a news article for our website. This report was edited and fact-checked by KVEO staff before being published.