How election results could reshape the border debate

How election results could reshape the border debate by Jordan Elder | TEXAS BORDER WATCH Wed, November 11, 2026 at 9:19 AM 10 VIEW ALL PHOTOS For this edition of Texas Border Watch, we take you inside the installation of a buoy barrier in the Rio Grande, then look at how new political leaders could affect immigration enforcement, plans for Big Bend and a dispute over islands in the river. Comment on this story 0 Comment Share story Share topics: border watch Rio Grande Border Patrol Buoy barrier Texas-Mexico border U.S. Supreme Court Big Bend Immigration enforcement For this edition of Texas Border Watch, we take you inside the installation of a buoy barrier in the Rio Grande, then look at how new political leaders could affect immigration enforcement, plans for Big Bend and a dispute over islands in the river. CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE... You can find our free Immigration Crisis podcast on Apple , Spotify , or wherever you listen to podcasts. You can also watch it on YouTube... From the Rio Grande buoys to a new political landscape On an exclusive ride-along with Border Patrol near Eagle Pass, the News 4 I-Team saw how crews build the buoy barrier. Buoys arrive by truck, are connected in the water and secured to anchors. Once a section is long enough, an airboat pulls it downriver to join the existing barrier. Border Patrol says more than 6.5 miles of buoys have been deployed near Eagle Pass, where plans call for nearly 100 miles. Crews work six days a week, and the federal effort could eventually stretch more than 500 miles along the Rio Grande. The buoy line is part of a broader system that includes walls, fencing, cameras, lights and underground sensors. Officials say the barriers help agents patrol a larger area with fewer people. Read the News 4 I-Team’s exclusive look at the installation process... Chain of buoys in the Rio Grande near Eagle Pass (SBG San Antonio) The midterm results could change how that border strategy is debated Democrats won every congressional district along the Texas-Mexico border, and James Talarico was elected to the U.S. Senate. But some incoming Democrats say the results do not mean they want the border reopened or enforcement stopped. They say they support removing people who commit crimes, while raising concerns that people in their districts are afraid to go to work or leave home because of immigration enforcement. Talarico has also said he is willing to work with President Donald Trump on border policy. Big Bend National Park is another place to watch. Incoming Texas Attorney General Nathan Johnson has criticized plans for a border wall through the region and said he would work to challenge the federal government’s actions. He has also called for repealing Section 102(c), the law the administration has used to waive federal requirements for border construction. Incoming Land Commissioner Benjamin Flores has said he does not want border infrastructure built on General Land Office property. The change in state leadership could bring a different legal and policy approach to the project. But the federal construction plans received a boost Monday. The U.S. Supreme Court paused a lower-court order that had blocked work, allowing construction to resume while the legal fight continues. Texas Border Watch: How election results could reshape the border debate Texas and Mexico dispute who controls nine Rio Grande islands The Texas General Land Office says nine islands in the Rio Grande belong to Texas. Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said Border Patrol initially asked her office to review 28 islands, and the office determined that nine were state land. The state says the designation will allow law enforcement to access and patrol them. Mexico disputes Texas’ claim, saying the 1970 boundary treaty gives the International Boundary and Water Commission authority to determine which side of the border the islands fall on. The commission applies the boundary treaties between the two countries. gob.mx The GLO has said it has not confirmed criminal activity on these nine islands. The dispute adds another question to the region’s border-security debate: who has authority over land in the middle of the river? Read more about the disagreement in this report... Courtesy: TX General Land Office Trending Family of five killed after SUV leaves wet I-10 overpass in Seguin, parents identified Rain-slicked IH-10 in Seguin turned deadly when a Chevrolet Tahoe left an overpass near FM 725, killing a Porter family of five, including three children. FM 725 was shut for hours as police investigate. Vehicle break-ins concern residents near La Cantera and the Rim A night out for dinner turned into a costly experience for a UTSA student after someone smashed her car window and stole her belongings.Isabella Leon, 20, says 'F--- you': Father who killed 16-year-old school shooter cursed teen before deadly shot "I didn't want to hear what he had to say. He had taken lives," Kaylub Giamanco told CBS News. "I said, ‘F--- you.'" 'I'm going to kill you tonight': San Antonio man accused of stalking ex-girlfriend 'I'm going to kill you tonight': San Antonio man accused of stalking ex-girlfriend One hospitalized in critical condition after multi-vehicle crash along Loop 410 One hospitalized in critical condition after multi-vehicle crash along Loop 410 NEWS IN PHOTOS: " Local " 10 NEW How election results could reshape the border debate 6 GLP-1 weight loss drugs can cause blindness 6 Veterans Day ceremony at Fort Sam Houston continues amid uncertainty over its future 4 SHARE YOUR PHOTOS: Help us salute the veterans who have made a difference in your life