Presidio Residents Demand Federal Action as Border Crossings Strain Small Town Resources

Residents of Presidio, a remote West Texas border town of approximately 4,000 people, are demanding federal action after a surge in illegal border crossings this spring overwhelmed local law enforcement, emergency medical services, and municipal resources.

At a packed town hall meeting at the Presidio Activity Center, more than 200 residents — roughly 5% of the town's entire population — heard from local officials about the strain that increased crossings have placed on this tiny community, which sits directly across the Rio Grande from Ojinaga, Mexico.

A Town on the Front Line

Presidio is one of the smallest official ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border. Its remote location — nearly 250 miles from the nearest major city of El Paso — means that when crossings surge, the community has limited resources to respond.

Presidio Police Chief Cesar Ibarra told the crowd that his department of six officers has been stretched to the breaking point. "We're a small department handling a federal problem," Ibarra said. "When we get a call about a group of 30 or 40 people crossing through ranchland, my officers are the first ones there. We don't have the manpower for this."

Ibarra said his officers have responded to more than 180 calls related to illegal crossings in the first six months of 2026, compared to 94 in all of 2025. Many of the calls involve individuals needing medical attention after crossing through the harsh Chihuahuan Desert, where summer temperatures regularly exceed 105 degrees.

Strain on Emergency Services

The Presidio Volunteer Fire Department, staffed entirely by volunteers, has seen a dramatic increase in medical calls related to border crossings. Chief volunteer firefighter Ray Hernandez said his team has responded to 14 heat-related emergencies involving migrants this year, including three fatalities.

"We're volunteers," Hernandez said. "We have jobs and families. When we're out responding to a rescue in the desert at 2 a.m., that takes a real toll on our community."

The nearest hospital is in Alpine, Texas, more than 60 miles away. Presidio's sole clinic, the Presidio County Health Clinic, is only open four days a week. When serious medical emergencies occur, patients must be transported by ambulance to Alpine or flown by helicopter to El Paso — a cost borne by Presidio County taxpayers.

Presidio County Judge Cinderela Guevara said the county has spent more than $180,000 on emergency medical transports related to border crossings in the first half of 2026 alone. "For a county our size, that's a significant amount of money," Guevara said. "That's money that should be going to roads, to schools, to our community. Instead, we're paying for the federal government's failure to secure the border."

Calls for More Border Patrol Resources

U.S. Border Patrol's Presidio Station, part of the Big Bend Sector, covers a vast stretch of remote borderland. Residents say the station is chronically understaffed relative to the volume of crossings.

"It's simple math," said local rancher Buck McAlister, whose property runs along the Rio Grande. "We've got more people crossing, and we've got fewer agents patrolling. Something has to give."

McAlister said he has encountered groups of migrants on his property multiple times this year, including a group of 22 in March. "They cut my fences, they leave trash, they scare the cattle," McAlister said. "I'm not angry at the people trying to come here. I'm angry at the government for not doing its job."

Residents Draft Resolution

At the conclusion of the town hall, residents drafted a resolution calling on the Department of Homeland Security to increase Border Patrol staffing at the Presidio Station, improve port-of-entry infrastructure, and reimburse local governments for costs associated with border-related emergency responses.

The resolution will be sent to U.S. Rep. Tony Gonzales, whose district includes Presidio, as well as to both U.S. senators from Texas. Judge Guevara said she plans to personally deliver copies of the resolution to congressional offices in Washington.

"We're not asking for anything extraordinary," Guevara said. "We're asking the federal government to do the job it's supposed to do. Protect the border. Help the communities that are on the front line. That's not too much to ask."