Do you have questions about the recent buoy debacle on the Rio Grande? Our reporting has you covered, plus an important new hire at The Border Chronicle, and our new project Wall Watch.
As floodwaters swept hundreds of one-ton border buoys downstream, international bridges closed, commerce slowed, and officials struggled to get answers from DHS about a project advancing despite local opposition, environmental concerns, and treaty questions.
Hundreds of massive orange buoys staged for a controversial DHS floating barrier project broke free near Eagle Pass and are now drifting toward Laredo, threatening bridges, commerce, drinking water supplies and downstream communities.
A road trip through the American West leads to a haunting lesson about a past atrocity, plus a community-led solution in Mexicali to fight climate change. And, a new militarized zone in Yuma.
Happy July everyone! We’re back from summer break.
Thanks to everyone who joined us this morning for our live roundup discussion on our reporting this week, and on the latest news happening in the U.S.-Mexico border region.
The United States is definitely in one of those history-making eras. But not the good kind. Melissa’s first post after returning from summer break, is a reflection from a road trip to Denver where she learned about another dark chapter in American history — the Sand Creek Massacre. Caroline who grew up in Denver didn’t learn about this tragedy until she was in university. And most Americans have never heard of it. More than 160 years later, many White Americans still don’t accept that it happened. Melissa also speaks with activists from across the border about how they’re meeting this moment, and how they cultivate hope and healing to weather this new dystopian chapter in U.S. history.
In brighter news, Caroline interviewed Mexicali activist Denahi Valdez about citizen-led efforts to make one of the hottest cities in North America more bike friendly, and more resilient to climate change.
Melissa del Bosque
Caroline Tracey
Military to establish national defense area in Yuma AZ Family
DOI Announces Land Transfer to the Department of the Navy for National Defense in Southeastern Arizona U.S. Dept. of the Interior
Tejano singer Bobby Pulido forms exploratory committee for South Texas congressional bid The Texas Tribune
Valley woman faced traumatic hospital stay prior to murder charge for self-induced abortion My RGV.com
Claim: Federal agents in plain clothes aimed guns, handcuffed Tucson Samaritans Arizona Daily Star
Feds plan to build nation’s biggest migrant detention center at Fort Bliss The Texas Tribune
Border grassroots organizing is winning in July; Who pays the price for Brownsville's tech and industrial boom? And Tijuana Art Week and NAFTA's lasting influence on Baja's landscape. Plus more!
Happy 250th America! In a new podcast, Melissa and Todd discuss surveillance, and unconstitutional policing migrating into the country's interior, and ancient rock art faces demolition in Texas. Plus more news from across the border region.
The efforts to preserve the desert's iconic plants, resist the destruction of ancient trees, and deal with the harassing border machine, even after deportation.
Latinos with DACA say they're being targeted in Texas, and a review of new Chicano vampire fiction by Laredo author Ito Romo, plus a rally in southern Arizona this weekend to save ancient cottonwoods from border wall destruction, and more!
Independent news, culture and context from the U.S.-Mexico border.
