Federal officials plan to set up two U.S. Border Patrol checkpoints near the small Rio Grande Valley town of Roma, and county leaders are not thrilled about finding out after the fact. Starr County officials warn the new installations could clog traffic on the area's main highway and pile on stigma in a community that already lives with a heavy federal presence.
Feds Confirm Two New Checkpoints, Keep Details Close
In a statement to MySA, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson said Border Patrol's Rio Grande Valley Sector "announced the establishment of two Border Patrol checkpoints in the Roma, Texas area" to support ongoing operational requirements and deter illegal cross-border activity. The agency, MySA reported, declined to provide exact locations or a timeline for when the checkpoints will go live.
County Judge Says He Was Left In The Dark
Starr County Judge Eloy Vera told KRGV he was "frustrated" by the lack of advance notice and warned the checkpoints would "harass" law-abiding residents and add delays for people who commute on U.S. 83. Roma's city manager told KRGV the city is waiting for official confirmation and details from CBP.
Migrant Encounter Numbers Drop As Plan Rolls Out
The announcement arrives as CBP encounter totals have fallen sharply. MySA reports federal data showing fewer than 4,600 "encounters" in the Rio Grande Valley and roughly 22,000 across the entire southwest land border during the first three months of fiscal year 2026. For additional context, CBP's public Southwest Land Border Encounters dashboard on the agency's website provides historical monthly totals and sector breakdowns.
Trucks, Traffic And A Key Highway In The Crosshairs
Regional business and transportation leaders warned the checkpoints could complicate freight movement on the only major north-south artery through the county and interfere with a planned regional highway relief project, according to the RGV Business Journal. The outlet also noted one checkpoint near SpaceX's Starbase has gone quiet even as new operations appear in Starr County.
Roma’s Border Town Reality
Roma sits along the Rio Grande in rural Starr County and had a population of about 11,561 at the 2020 census, according to Wikipedia. The city is served by U.S. Highway 83, the primary route connecting parts of the Valley to points west and north, which is exactly why locals are nervous about anything that might slow the only major way in and out.
County leaders say they will press federal officials for details on timing, permanence and whether commercial traffic will be screened, arguing residents and businesses want assurances that legal travel and trade will not be needlessly disrupted. Local officials are still waiting for more information from CBP as the agency rolls out the plan, KRGV reports.
