McAllen Mayor: Bridge crossings are down 25 percent

MCALLEN, Texas – McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos says he is not looking forward to helping craft the city’s 2025-26 budget next month because revenues are down.

“I’m concerned. I’m real concerned. Our sales tax revenues are going to be down and bridge crossings are down 25 percent. It is going to be bad,” Villalobos told the Rio Grande Guardian. 

Villalobos said the bridge crossings are primarily down because Mexican soldiers are checking vehicles heading northbound across the Hidalgo-McAllen and Anzalduas international bridges. 

Mexico is doing this at the request of President Trump in an effort to stop fentanyl coming into the U.S. These checks are resulting in shoppers having to spend two or more hours longer than normal waiting to cross. As a result, many are deciding not to cross. 

“There are a lot of good things happening in McAllen and the Rio Grande Valley but we are also being presented with some serious challenges,” Villalobos said.

On the plus side, Villalobos pointed to new investments coming to the region and the attractiveness to investors of the Valley’s young, skilled workforce. 

Villalobos said he does not even mind if new projects land in other Valley cities, rather than his hometown. He pointed to tech giants Zoho moving their Valley HQ from McAllen to Edinburg. “We all benefit. I know where many of those Zoho employees are going to live and shop and that is McAllen.”

Recently, Villalobos has spoken out against two initiatives championed by the the Trump administration, tariffs and ICE raids.

With regard to the latter, Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President & CEO Cynthia Sakulenzki has nothing but praise Villalobos’ stance.

RGVHCC recently sent out a survey to members and non-members alike asking for their views on tariffs and the ICE raids. Sakulenzki said that as a result of the Rio Grande Guardian’s coverage of the survey, another construction company has become a member of the chamber. 

“Construction companies are having to get creative to protect their workers,” Sakulenzki said. “They are fencing off their construction sites and telling all visitors they must make an appointment to enter, citing OSHA safety rules. If ICE makes an appointment to enter it gives the companies time to warn their workers.”

Another South Texas leader who appreciates Villalobos’ strong stance is U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar. He said he had spoken to the McAllen mayor recently about the ICE raids. 

Here is a video recording of Congressman Cuellar discussing his conversation with Mayor Villalobos:

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