Trump Immigration Crackdown Triggers South Texas Construction Crisis as ICE Arrests Top 9,000

Homeland Security says 70% of those its officers take into custody nationwide face charges or have prior convictions (Credit: US government work)

Under President Donald Trump, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has made more than 9,000 arrests in South Texas so far in 2026. In 2024, the agency, which detains and deports immigrants, made about 400. Washington Post figures count arrests at homes, at work, and in public, not in jails.

Builders in the Rio Grande Valley, which backed Trump in 2024, blame the arrests for stalled projects. BLS payroll counts fell near Brownsville, not McAllen. David Reyna's new build in Rio Grande City has sat untouched for months. Reyna, a Trump voter, told the Post the crackdown is 'completely devastating the local construction industry.'