Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González / Texas Border Business
RIO GRANDE VALLEY, Texas — Employment declines in construction and agriculture are raising concerns about workforce availability across South Texas, according to an October 7, 2026, investigation by The Washington Post. The findings follow warnings from regional business leaders and congressional representatives about labor shortages, immigration enforcement and construction delays.
The Washington Post reported that construction payroll employment in the Brownsville-Harlingen area declined 5% from a year earlier, while Cameron County’s labor force contracted nearly 2%, according to its analysis of federal labor statistics.
Agricultural employment across Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr and Willacy counties fell 13% during the year ending March 2026. The newspaper noted that agricultural employment had been declining before the latest immigration enforcement measures, with losses accelerating in 2025.
The investigation also examined Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity. According to the newspaper’s analysis of government data, ICE arrests conducted outside detention facilities in South Texas increased from approximately 400 in 2024 to more than 9,000 in 2026.
Nearly 80% of those ICE’s Harlingen field office has arrested at large since President Donald Trump returned to office had no criminal records, the newspaper reported.
Mario Guerrero, president of the South Texas Builders Association, told The Washington Post that construction subcontractors were experiencing significant workforce disruptions.
Guerrero had previously addressed similar concerns during a South Texas Builders Association forum in Pharr covered by Texas Border Business.
“This is not simply an immigration issue,” Guerrero said at the forum. “It is a workforce issue. It is an economic issue. It is a housing issue. Ultimately, it is a leadership issue.”
Guerrero called for lawful employment pathways and cooperation among business leaders and elected officials.
U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez also addressed workforce shortages during the forum, identifying construction, agriculture, and hospitality among the affected industries.
“Our labor shortage is a national problem,” Gonzalez said. “It is not a Democratic problem or a Republican problem. It’s an American problem.”
Gonzalez discussed his proposed Safe American Workforce Act, which would provide work authorization for certain longtime undocumented workers meeting specified requirements.
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar described efforts to expand H-2B temporary worker visas and discussions with federal immigration officials about construction workforce concerns.
“I don’t care whether you’re a Democrat or a Republican,” Cuellar said. “We should do what’s right for the country, not simply follow the party line.”
The Trump administration has defended stronger immigration enforcement as necessary to enforce federal law and protect American workers. However, builders interviewed by The Washington Post reported difficulty replacing workers who had left the construction labor force.
The employment figures document declines across several industries, although they do not independently establish how much of the reduction resulted from immigration enforcement.
The findings reinforce concerns raised by South Texas builders about workforce stability, housing construction, and skilled-labor availability.
For readers who want the complete reporting, I recommend these three links:
- Mario Guerrero Calls for Unity and Workforce Solutions at South Texas Builders Forum https://texasborderbusiness.com/mario-guerrero-calls-for-unity-and-workforce-solutions-at-south-texas-builders-forum/
- Cuellar and Gonzalez Call for Legal Workforce Solutions at South Texas Builders Forumhttps://texasborderbusiness.com/cuellar-and-gonzalez-call-for-legal-workforce-solutions-at-south-texas-builders-forum/
- The Washington Post investigation published October 7, 2026 https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2026/10/07/texas-border-districts-immigration-has-become-an-economic-issue/?utm_
