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When Joe Biden and Donald Trump came to Texas’ border with Mexico on the same day in February, they underscored how the region has become ground zero for one the most volatile subjects in American politics.
But neither candidate actually engaged with ordinary Texans. And our reporters, talking to residents in Eagle Pass and Brownsville, found that many Texans feel their voices are being drowned out by the political noise around immigration.
The Tribune is in a unique position to do something about that. Based in El Paso, our immigration reporter, Uriel J. García, has devoted the last three years to telling the story of what’s happening on the ground in Texas’ borderlands. He has visited migrant encampments across the Rio Grande, witnessed the security tactics of Border Patrol and the Texas National Guard, and tracked the construction of border walls ordered by Trump and Gov. Greg Abbott. He’s talked to immigrants, landowners, local government officials, law enforcement officers, shelter volunteers, lawyers and more. But the logistical challenges are immense. The Texas-Mexico border is 1,200 miles, roughly the distance from Dallas to Pittsburgh. The stories are nuanced and complex. And they need to be told now more than ever.
This year, we aim to rise to the challenge and level up our coverage of what’s happening on the ground. With the generous support of Report for America, we’ve added a full-time reporter based in McAllen, in the Rio Grande Valley, to our regional reporting team. And for six months, we’ll be basing another reporter in Eagle Pass, the epicenter of the showdown between the state and federal government over immigration policy. Our staff includes journalists who have grown up near the border, still have family there and see the region as more than a political prop. These journalists will work with Uriel and our state government reporters in Austin to tell the fullest story possible about what’s happening on the ground. They’ll use their expertise and experience to elevate the stories of the people most affected by our border policies, including the people who live there, work there, enforce the law there and cross the border there. We’ll aim to clear up public misconceptions and explore the shortcomings of state and federal policy. We won’t shy away from pointing out government failures there and the real pressures these communities feel, but we’ll do so without the fear tactics designed to score political points.
We’ll need help, though. This work is expensive. Travel between different points of the border is challenging. We plan to hire freelance photographers and videographers with deep connections to the communities we cover. We’ll spend money to access public records. And we’ll support the work of our journalists on the ground with editing, audience development work and data analysis.
We originally set out to raise $10,000 by Friday, April 19, to help establish this increased border presence through 2024. But due to the strong response from our readers, we've doubled our goal to $20,000. This will help pay for more travel for our reporters and freelance photographers. Do you value this journalism? We hope you’ll show us today by helping us meet our crowdfunding goal. In doing so, you’ll be paying for Texas journalists to do original reporting from Texas communities — journalism that helps contextualize hard policy choices and the nuanced dilemmas experienced on the ground.
Tickets are on sale now for the 2024 Texas Tribune Festival, happening in downtown Austin Sept. 5-7. Get your TribFest tickets before May 1 and save big!