Rio Grande Valley Construction and Agriculture Face Workforce Pressures
· Texas Border Business
A recent investigation by The Washington Post highlights significant declines in employment within the construction and agriculture sectors in the Rio Grande Valley, raising concerns about workforce availability. In the Brownsville-Harlingen area, construction payrolls dropped by 5% over the past year, while Cameron County’s labor force shrank by nearly 2%. Agricultural jobs in Hidalgo, Cameron, Starr, and Willacy counties fell by 13% as of March 2026. Local leaders, including U.S. Rep. Vicente Gonzalez, emphasize that this issue transcends political lines and calls for legal pathways for workers. The report also notes a sharp increase in ICE arrests in the region.
AI summary · Source: Texas Border Business →
