Texas Border Business
By Joe Neeb, ICMA-CM, CEcD, CPM
City Manager for the City of Laredo
In today’s public discourse, it has become increasingly common to hear broad labels applied to federal agencies involved in border security. Terms directed at the federal government, the Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are often generalized in ways that portray every employee, every interaction, and every effort through a single lens.
My experience has been different.
As City Manager for the City of Laredo, I have spent significant time working directly with federal officials on some of the most sensitive and complex issues facing our community: border security, trade, river management, infrastructure protection, floodplain concerns, migrant and immigrant relations, and public safety. These conversations have not always been easy, and there have certainly been moments of disagreement. However, what I have consistently encountered are professionals who are willing to engage, explain, listen, and work through difficult challenges.
That distinction matters.
Laredo sits at the center of one of the most important international trade corridors in North America. Our community lives with the realities of border policy every day—not in theory, but in practice. We are also a community deeply shaped by immigration, binational families, cultural connections, and generations of people who came here seeking opportunity, safety, and a better future. Because of that, conversations about border security in Laredo cannot be separated from the human realities of migration and immigration.
For the City, that means balancing multiple responsibilities simultaneously.
We must support public safety and infrastructure protection. We must ensure that international commerce continues to flow efficiently. We must advocate for our neighborhoods, our river, and our economic future. At the same time, we must recognize the dignity of migrants and immigrants, as well as the deep cultural and historical ties that define our border region.
That balance requires engagement rather than slogans.
The City of Laredo has worked to ensure that local concerns are heard while also recognizing the legitimate national security responsibilities of federal agencies. That approach does not mean agreeing with every proposal or every action.
The City has raised important concerns regarding flood impacts, hydraulic modeling, property access, environmental stewardship, and infrastructure compatibility. We have insisted on technical data, engineering analysis, and transparency before supporting any major project affecting our riverfront or community. We have advocated firmly for our residents, our infrastructure, and our future.
At the same time, we have also recognized that productive dialogue is far more effective than broad demonization.
In my interactions with CBP, DHS, ICE, and other federal representatives, I have met individuals who care deeply about safety, professionalism, and finding workable solutions. Many of them understand that border communities like Laredo are unique. They understand that we are not simply a line on a map—we are a living, growing international community with families, businesses, culture, trade, and shared binational relationships.
Those realities require nuance.
Unfortunately, nuance is often lost in modern political debate. It has become easier to paint entire organizations with a single brush than to acknowledge that large institutions are made up of individual people with different perspectives, responsibilities, and motivations. That approach may generate attention, but it rarely produces solutions.
Likewise, it is important to recognize that border communities themselves should not be reduced to political talking points. Laredo is not defined solely by headlines about immigration or enforcement. We are a resilient and compassionate community that understands both the importance of border security and the humanity of those affected by migration.
Public service—whether at the local, state, or federal level—is ultimately about people working together to solve difficult problems.
I believe communities are strongest when they can advocate firmly for their interests while still maintaining professionalism and respect. The City of Laredo has demonstrated that it is possible to stand up for local priorities, ask hard questions, challenge assumptions, and demand accountability without reducing every federal employee—or every migrant or immigrant—to a political stereotype.
That is not a weakness. That is leadership.
The work surrounding border security, immigration, and international relations will continue to evolve. The discussions will remain difficult at times. There will continue to be disagreements over methods, priorities, and impacts. But if our goal is truly to protect our community while preserving Laredo’s future, then engagement, technical analysis, communication, compassion, and mutual respect must remain part of the process.
My experience has shown that when local and federal officials are willing to engage honestly and professionally, progress is possible.
And in a time when division often dominates the conversation, that may be one of the most important lessons of all.
Yours in Partnership,
Joe Neeb, ICMA-CM, CEcD, CPM
See related stories:
