Texas Border Business
By Roberto Hugo González / Texas Border Business
Follow the Link below to the original video invitation for the open discussion.
The South Texas Builders Association (STBA) has called an open discussion for Monday, November 17, 2025, to address what it describes as a growing crisis affecting the construction industry across the Rio Grande Valley. The meeting, scheduled for 10 a.m. at the Brookhaven Event Center in Pharr, aims to bring together local elected officials, community leaders, and the media to discuss the impact of recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations on the regional workforce.
In a recorded video statement released on Facebook, STBA Executive Director and CEO Mario Guerrero said the situation has become critical following a video that went viral of ICE agents detaining workers at a McAllen construction site without warrants. “We believe that law enforcement should do their job,” Guerrero said. “But when agents show up without warrants, detaining people who are legally here, it’s not only wrong—it’s destructive.”
According to Guerrero, several workers at the McAllen site were U.S. citizens or had valid work authorization. “Half of those people were legally here to work,” he said. “They were still taken into custody and taken to a facility and then released hours later after they had told these officers that they were legally here to work.”
Guerrero said incidents like this are creating fear among laborers across South Texas. “Of course, people are scared,” he said. Taking off his cap to emphasize his point, he added, “Look at us. We’re brown. Of course, we’re scared. People are scared.”
The STBA argues that such enforcement actions could have far-reaching consequences for the region’s economy. “This is going to ruin our economy. It’s going to ruin the housing market. The American dream,” Guerrero warned. “This is beyond serious. It’s even going to ruin the commercial market.”
Guerrero said that long-standing workforce shortages compound the problem. “The school system that we have here in the United States has failed our industry as a whole,” he said. “When we were growing up, they never mentioned to us that it would be good to become a plumber, a concrete pourer, or a framer. They always pushed us to go to college. Why? Because it’s all about money.”
He emphasized that construction in South Texas has long relied on immigrant labor. “There is not one building in the Rio Grande Valley that hasn’t been built by a labor hand that is from the other side,” he said. “There’s not one labor hand that hasn’t touched your home that you’re living in that wasn’t an illegal. And that’s across the whole valley.”
Guerrero made it clear that STBA supports law enforcement but questioned the methods being used. “We’re not going to go against ICE in any way, shape, or form,” he said. “The problem is that they’re targeting construction sites, and they’re not showing warrants. They don’t even care. They’re just walking through and questioning people.”
To address these concerns, Guerrero called on all Rio Grande Valley leaders to attend the open discussion. He publicly invited several mayors, members of Congress, and state legislators to participate, including McAllen Mayor Javier Villalobos, Pharr Mayor Ambrosio Hernandez, San Juan Mayor Mario Garza, Palmview Mayor Ricardo Villarreal, Harlingen Mayor Norma Sepulveda, and Brownsville Mayor John Cowan. Federal and state officials invited include U.S. Representatives Monica De La Cruz and Vicente Gonzalez, along with state representatives Terry Canales, Bobby Guerra, Sergio Muñoz Jr., Armando Martinez, and J.M. Lozano.
Guerrero said attendance at the event will be a measure of leadership and accountability. “If you don’t show up, people will know,” he said. “This is the time for our leaders to stand with us, not stay silent.”
“Local and regional news outlets have also been invited to cover the meeting, including KRGV Channel 5, CBS 4 News, Telemundo 40, and Univision Valle del Rio Grande. Guerrero said media coverage is essential to ensure public awareness and transparency,” he said. “Our people are hurting.” “Our businesses are hurting. There’s no labor. People are picked up, and there’s no labor force to replace them. And that is the failure and lack of leadership,” he said.
The meeting will take place at the Brookhaven Event Center, located at 404 E Interstate Hwy 2, Building C, in Pharr, Texas, next to Matt’s Building Materials. Guerrero said the purpose of the event is not to challenge federal authority but to call for collaboration and solutions. “We need our leaders to come out,” he said. “We, the people, have chosen leaders, and this is one of those times when we need them. Because if we don’t have construction going on in our cities, how are our cities going to grow?”
Guerrero concluded his message with a direct appeal to civic responsibility. “It is extremely important that these leaders show up,” he said. “If these leaders that have been appointed to lead us in times of difficulty don’t show up, then they’re not our leaders.”
