Texas Begins Removing Rio Grande Island Officials Say Is Used to Hide and Smuggle Migrants into U.S.

This island in between Roma, Texas, and Miguel Aleman, Mexico, commonly called ‘Roma Island,’ as seen Monday, March 2, 2026, as crews have cleared about one-third of the trees and brush in the past week. (Credit: Sandra Sanchez/Via Border Report)

The Rio Grande is undergoing changes aimed at preventing migrants hoping to cross into the United States from using the border ecosystem to their advantage.

As noted by Border Report, law enforcement officials said a small island between the Mexican border city of Miguel Alemán and the U.S. border city of Roma can be used by individuals to hide and even smuggle migrants into the United States, and work is now underway to remove it.