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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 20, 2026
Contact: Bekah Hinojosa, bekah@sotxejn.org at 956-975-6634
Border Communities Oppose Trump’s ‘death-trap’ Border Buoys in the Rio Grande
Organizations based along the U.S.-Mexico border sent a letter urging representatives to condemn Trump’s plans to install 500 miles of buoys in the Rio Grande.
Brownsville, TX—A coalition of border organizations, residents along the U.S./Mexico Border, and national allies sent a letter urging public officials to immediately condemn the installation of 500 miles of floating barrier buoys in the Rio Grande. Installation of border buoys had already begun when DHS Secretary Kristi Noem held a press conference in Brownsville in January to spread the DHS’s racist propaganda. To date, buoys have been installed in the Rio Grande in Brownsville, TX.
Activists in the state of Texas have dubbed these barrier buoys as death-trap buoys because of the two deaths that occurred near buoys in Eagle Pass, TX, years ago. These buoys would also cause an ecological disaster in the river habitat for numerous reasons, including harming threatened and endangered species, disrupting river flow, and destroying flora and fauna.
I have seen firsthand the damage caused to the Rio Grande in Eagle Pass recently when I participated in a study being conducted on the buoys and the harm they are causing,” said Elsa Hull with the #NoBorderWall Coalition. “The buoys are silting in on the US side of the river, which will prohibit the ability to pump water to water treatment plants and to irrigate crops. When the river inevitably floods again, the buoy-mesh-cable-concrete apparatus will be dislodged and damage bridge supports and other infrastructure, causing death and destruction as it is washed downstream. These buoys will harm our river, people, and wildlife. Border security can be achieved without the ecological devastation caused by physical barriers and by revamping our immigration system to provide humane, legal pathways for people seeking asylum and employment opportunities. The river and borderlands are beautiful, and it is our duty to preserve that beauty.”
Border communities have vowed to mobilize against the planned buoys and continue opposing Trump’s plans for increasing militarization in the form of buoys, razor wire, boots on the ground, new walls, and increasing surveillance in their communities.
“Voces Unidas RGV condemns the implementation of any border barrier system such as border buoys, as they are an existential threat to our peaceful communities, our wildlife corridors, and our shared commitment to adhere to human rights law,” said Michelle Serrano with Voces Unidas. “We are not a war zone. For years, we have reminded public officials about the importance of investment to our region that will help our communities thrive. Instead, top officials and elected leaders are ignoring our needs and giving billions in payouts to private contractors who are polluting our landscapes, which is neither just nor fair. We maintain that the border is safe and any funding poured into the hyper-militarization of our home shall be considered a direct affront to the over one-million residents of the RGV who are hurting from the high costs of basic necessities, shrinking recreational spaces, and lack of infrastructural resources that keep us safe from natural disasters.”
For weeks, border residents have made calls and sent emails to the judges in Cameron and Hidalgo County urging them pass a resolution opposing the border buoys. South Texas Environmental Justice Network members recently hand-delivered the letter to Congressman Vicente Gonzalez and Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr. To date, no public official has issued a statement or resolution opposing DHS’s buoys.
“All Rio Grande Valley cities and the Cameron County commission oppose the border wall. Anti-border wall resolutions were passed by our county commissioners and the City of Brownsville during Trump’s first presidential term. We urge public officials to condemn the Department of Homeland Security’s installation of unnecessary and deadly buoys in our Rio Grande,” said Bekah Hinojosa with the South Texas Environmental Justice Network. “We have to keep reminding these officials that we deserve to live in a border community not overrun with militarization.”
In Brownsville, residents and organizations will host an anti-border bouy protest demonstration on Thursday, February 26, from 3:30 pm – 5:00 PM at Alice Wilson Hope Park (1300 E Levee St, Brownsville, TX 78520). The protest will include artistic visuals, such as an anti-buoy piñata, banners, and signs. At the protest, residents and organizations will speak out about the risks and dangers posed by border buoys and other forms of border militarization in border communities.
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South Texas Environmental Justice Network supports the leadership of frontline BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color) communities. It includes numerous organizations, campaigns, individuals, and Tribal leadership from the South Texas region that work to build a future that centers on improving local communities’ social and environmental health. https://www.facebook.com/SOTXEJN