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Brooks County, Texas

Coordinates: 27°02′N 98°13′W / 27.04°N 98.21°W / 27.04; -98.21
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Brooks County
County
The Brooks County Courthouse in Falfurrias
The Brooks County Courthouse in Falfurrias
Map of Texas highlighting Brooks County
Location within the U.S. state of Texas
Map of the United States highlighting Texas
Texas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 27°02′N 98°13′W / 27.04°N 98.21°W / 27.04; -98.21
Country United States
State Texas
Founded1911
Named forJames Brooks
SeatFalfurrias
Largest cityFalfurrias
Area
 • Total944 sq mi (2,440 km2)
 • Land943 sq mi (2,440 km2)
 • Water0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2)  0.03%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total7,076
 • Density7.5/sq mi (2.9/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district15th
Websitewww.co.brooks.tx.us

Brooks County is a county in Texas, United States, and Falfurrias is its county seat.[1] Its population was 7,076, approximately 88% Latino per the 2020 census.[2] It is one of Texas's poorest counties.[3]

The county is named for James Abijah Brooks, one of the “Four Captains” who modernized the Texas Rangers. He retired to Falfurrias, served two terms as state representative, lobbied successfully for the county's creation, and served thirty years as county judge.

Brooks County has several large ranches, including Mariposa Ranch[4] and the King Ranch, both in the east. The county's largest employer is the Falfurrias Border Patrol interior checkpoint on US 281, built in 1994 outside the city limits and significantly enlarged in 2019.[5]

"Death Valley" for Migrants

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See also: Missing in Brooks County

Brooks County is "the nation's busiest corridor for illegal immigration;"[3] and a tracking camera records up to 150 people going through one piece of property nightly.[3] More illegal migrants die in Brooks County than in any other county in America.[6] Although it is about 80 miles (130 km) north of the border, it is on a main route headed toward San Antonio and Dallas from Mexico. The documentary Missing in Brooks County called the county the "epicenter" of America's immigration problem.[7] It was called a "Death Valley" for migrants in 2014.[8]

Many migrants attempt to bypass the Falfurrias United States Border Patrol interior checkpoint by hiking some 35 miles (56 km) around it through the open, dry terrain local ranchers call "the killing fields".[9] The terrain is flat, sandy, and hard to walk on. The lack of landmarks can be disorienting, causing some migrants to walk in circles. Summer, with bright sun and high temperatures regularly over 100 °F (38 °C), can lead to dehydration, sunstroke, and death. Those attempting the trip with smugglers can be subject to mistreatment, including ransom and rape.[6]

Migrants in distress call 911, and there typically are "a few dozen cellphone calls a day".[3] Between 2016 and 2018, there were 722 calls leading to Border Patrol rescues, usually resulting in arrest or deportation.[6] The Border Patrol apprehends between 60 and 70 undocumented immigrants daily.[6] Tom Slowinski, in charge of the Falfurrias Border Patrol facility in 2019, said, "No other checkpoint anywhere on the Southwest border catches more alien smuggling cases than this checkpoint right here."[10]

Illegal immigrant death is also a significant issue. Between 2009 and 2018, over 600 bodies were recovered. Most are not identified. Consequently, Brooks County has been described as "the biggest cemetery in America.” According to Brooks County Deputy Sheriff Benny Martinez, the multiple of found to unfound bodies is probably 5 to 10 times.[6] One estimate is that there are over 2000 unfound bodies.[11] Consistent with these estimates, the number of reported missing persons exceeds the number of bodies recovered.[6]

The illegal immigration issue is a significant challenge for Brooks County. Migrants bypassing the Border Patrol checkpoint sometimes damage property, tear down fences, steal, or threaten residents of the ranches through which they trespass.[6] Residents resent the reputation the Border Patrol checkpoint and migrant deaths have given their county. Most importantly, the cost of addressing these issues has overwhelmed county resources, and the county has been unsuccessful in getting additional federal help for the local impact of a significant national issue.[8][6][3][12]

The drain on local services is significant. The Border Patrol does not answer 911 calls or recover or bury dead bodies, so that falls on the county. The Brooks County Sheriff's Department, which once had 12 deputies, now has two, who work 48 hour weeks in aging vehicles with no health insurance. The Ed Rachal Memorial Library, Brooks County's only public library, is only open one day a week as of 2021.[13]

In contrast, the Border Patrol has in its Brooks County facility, the largest border checkpoint in the country, modern equipment, dozens of 4-wheel drive trucks with infrared night-vision capabilities, a car wash, a helicopter, a blimp, a canine team, and 300 agents.[3]

Measures to help the illegal migrants

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  • South Texas Human Rights, based in Brooks County, operates a hotline to answer calls about missing persons.[6][14]
  • Humanitarian groups have set up water stations and emergency beacons on some Brooks County ranches.[6] Doing so is illegal, and the Border Patrol sometimes arrests offenders, but jurors in Arizona refused to convict a defendant tried for the same crime.[15][16] Consequently, not all ranchers allow the water stations on their property. Those that do, reduce the likelihood that their property will have dead bodies.
  • The water stations and signs in the fields have their geographical coordinates, so migrants calling for help can tell rescuers where they are.
  • Due to property damage, some ranchers have stopped using fencing or placed ladders so the migrants can climb over the fences without damaging them.[17] One rancher, however, electrified his fencing with a 220-volt electric line.[6]
  • Forrest Wilder, editor of the Texas Observer, has called for the Farfurrias Border Patrol Station to be moved to a less dangerous location.[18]

Measures against the migrants

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  • Fourteen water stations were stolen in 2016.[19]
  • The South Texans' Property Rights Association, with over 600 members, tracks which landowners permit water stations and which do not.[19]
  • Texas Border Volunteers, a paramilitary group, apprehends and turns illegal migrants over to the Border Patrol. A co-founder is veterinarian Michael Vickers, who was in Missing in Brooks County.

Geography

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Brooks County's total area is 943.3 sq mi (2,443 km2), with only 0.3 sq mi (0.78 km2) (0.03%) covered by water per the U.S. Census Bureau.[20]

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

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Demographics

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Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
19204,560—
19305,90129.4%
19406,3627.8%
19509,19544.5%
19608,609−6.4%
19708,005−7.0%
19808,4285.3%
19908,204−2.7%
20007,976−2.8%
20107,223−9.4%
20207,076−2.0%
U.S. Decennial Census[21]
1850–2010[22] 2010–2020[2]
Brooks County, Texas – Racial and ethnic composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000[23] Pop 2010[24] Pop 2020[25] % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 633 573 724 7.94% 7.93% 10.23%
Black or African American alone (NH) 5 19 8 0.06% 0.26% 0.11%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 7 10 9 0.09% 0.14% 0.13%
Asian alone (NH) 7 18 29 0.09% 0.25% 0.41%
Pacific Islander alone (NH) 6 0 0 0.08% 0.00% 0.00%
Other race alone (NH) 3 4 12 0.04% 0.06% 0.17%
Mixed race or Multiracial (any race) (NH) 11 9 52 0.14% 0.12% 0.73%
Hispanic or Latino 7,304 6,590 6,242 91.57% 91.24% 88.21%
Total 7,976 7,223 7,076 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 7,076 people, 2,475 households, and 1,419 families residing in the county. As of the 2010 United States Census, 7,223 people were living in the county; 89.6% were White, 0.5% African American, 0.3% Native American, 0.3% Asian, 7.9% of some other race, and 1.4% of two or more races. About 91.2% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

As of the census[26] of 2000, 7,976 people, 2,711 households, and 2,079 families were residing in the county. The population density was 8 inhabitants per square mile (3.1/km2). The 3,203 housing units averaged 3/sq mi (1.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 75.84% White, 0.19% African American, 0.46% Native American, 0.09% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 21.58% from other races, and 1.77% from two or more races. About 91.57% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 2,711 households, 38.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.20% were married couples living together, 19.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.30% were not families. About 21.40% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.92, and the average family size was 3.38.

In the county, the age distribution was 31.60% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 23.40% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 94.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $18,622, and for a family was $22,473. Males had a median income of $23,051 versus $16,103 for females. The per capita income for the county was $10,234. About 36.90% of families and 40.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 51.70% of those under age 18 and 30.40% of those age 65 or over.

Politics

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While Texas has become a Republican Party stronghold in the 21st century, Brooks County remains solidly Democratic. The only Republican to have carried Brooks County was State Comptroller Susan Combs, who ran unopposed for re-election in 2010.[27]

No Republican presidential candidate has received a majority of the vote since the county's establishment in 1911. The highest Republican vote getters have been Richard Nixon, with 35% in his 1972 landslide and Donald Trump, with over 40% in 2020. Only four Democratic candidates have received less than 60% of the vote: Adlai Stevenson with almost 58% in 1956; George McGovern with 59.5% in 1972; Joe Biden with 59% in 2020; and Kamala Harris with 54% in 2024, the worst performance by a Democratic candidate in Brooks County.

United States presidential election results for Brooks County, Texas[28]
Year Republican Democratic Third party(ies)
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 998 40.18% 1,470 59.18% 16 0.64%
2016 613 23.61% 1,937 74.61% 46 1.77%
2012 507 21.10% 1,886 78.49% 10 0.42%
2008 556 24.08% 1,747 75.66% 6 0.26%
2004 845 31.60% 1,823 68.18% 6 0.22%
2000 556 22.87% 1,854 76.26% 21 0.86%
1996 413 11.84% 2,945 84.43% 130 3.73%
1992 585 15.54% 2,856 75.86% 324 8.61%
1988 608 17.43% 2,859 81.94% 22 0.63%
1984 896 24.79% 2,702 74.76% 16 0.44%
1980 780 23.40% 2,488 74.65% 65 1.95%
1976 641 18.69% 2,782 81.13% 6 0.17%
1972 1,117 40.17% 1,657 59.58% 7 0.25%
1968 534 20.51% 1,904 73.12% 166 6.37%
1964 402 14.87% 2,299 85.05% 2 0.07%
1960 567 22.58% 1,934 77.02% 10 0.40%
1956 802 41.77% 1,108 57.71% 10 0.52%
1952 809 33.89% 1,577 66.07% 1 0.04%
1948 217 16.93% 1,029 80.27% 36 2.81%
1944 142 22.36% 403 63.46% 90 14.17%
1940 201 22.97% 670 76.57% 4 0.46%
1936 117 24.22% 365 75.57% 1 0.21%
1932 86 12.34% 608 87.23% 3 0.43%
1928 160 32.52% 332 67.48% 0 0.00%
1924 59 22.01% 205 76.49% 4 1.49%
1920 37 22.56% 127 77.44% 0 0.00%
1916 63 37.72% 101 60.48% 3 1.80%
1912 13 2.23% 402 69.07% 167 28.69%

Communities

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City

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Census-designated places

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Unincorporated community

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Education

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Brooks County Independent School District is the local K-12 school district.

Coastal Bend College (formerly Bee County College) is the county's designated community college.[29]

Movie

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  • Missing in Brooks County is a feature-length documentary that examines the deaths in Brooks County of migrants avoiding the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint near Falfurrias. The film has won numerous movie festival awards. As of November 2021, RottenTomatoes has given it a 100% rating.[30] The movie tells the story of the county's plight with migrants, including the severe budget implications of the large, unreimbursed expense for recovering and burying migrants who died from dehydration or exposure. It was released for streaming November 2, 2021, and has been shown in selected theaters. It was shown on PBS's Independent Lens series in January 2022.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  2. ^ a b "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Brooks County, Texas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2022.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Saslow, Eli (August 9, 2014). "Going it alone. In one of the poorest counties in Texas, at the center of the U.S. border crisis, one deputy must do the work of many". Washington Post. Archived from the original on November 12, 2017. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
  4. ^ "Mariposa Ranch". Retrieved March 9, 2023.
  5. ^ Sanchez, Sandra (September 5, 2019). "Border Patrol's most trafficked checkpoint gets new state-of-the-art station". Border Report. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Foster-Frau, Silvia (July 10, 2018). "The Brutal Border. Texas' Brooks County, part of the Border Patrol's massive Rio Grande Valley Sector, is ground zero for migrant deaths". U.S. News & World Report.
  7. ^ Sanchez, Carlos (September 20, 2021). "The Texas checkpoint that forces migrants into dangerous terrain – and death. New documentary Missing in Brooks County looks at Falfurrias, one of the busiest immigration checkpoints in the US[,] and the growing number of deaths plaguing the nation's border region". The Guardian. Archived from the original on November 30, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Texas' Brooks County Is 'Death Valley' for Migrants. A deputy in one of the counties that has seen a surge in undocumented children says they have found 37 migrants' bodies this year alone". NBC News. July 9, 2014. Archived from the original on February 7, 2019. Retrieved January 29, 2019.
  9. ^ Texas' Brooks County Is 'Death Valley' for Migrants (video), NBC News, 2014, archived from the original on February 7, 2019, retrieved January 29, 2019
  10. ^ Westervelt, Eric (June 12, 2019). "As Migrants Stream In At The Border, Inland Checkpoints Feel The Strain". NPR. Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  11. ^ Gallegos, Ricardo (October 13, 2020). "Crítica de Missing in Brooks County, los desaparecidos de la frontera". La Estatuilla (Mexico). Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 19, 2021.
  12. ^ Miroff, Nick (June 3, 2021). "Huge border influx brings fears of grim summer for migrant deaths". Washington Post. Archived from the original on June 4, 2021. Retrieved June 4, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
  13. ^ "Welcome to the Ed Rachal Memorial Library Catalog!". Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  14. ^ Yeung, Peter (August 19, 2022). "The other Death Valley: hundreds of migrants are dying in remote Texas deserts. Border patrol agents search for the remains of a deceased migrant on a ranch in Brooks county, Texas". The Guardian.
  15. ^ Carroll, Rory (January 24, 2018). "Eight activists helping migrants cross brutal desert charged by US government. Charges fuel fears of Trump crackdown after Arizona-based group accused border patrol agents of sabotaging water containers". The Guardian. Archived from the original on November 24, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  16. ^ Associated Press (June 12, 2019). "Jurors refuse to convict activist facing 20 years for helping migrants. Jury could not reach a verdict against Scott Daniel Warren who was arrested in 2018 for giving migrants water, food and lodging". The Guardian. Archived from the original on December 3, 2021. Retrieved December 3, 2021.
  17. ^ Sanchez, Sandra (May 1, 2019). "South Texas rancher tours desolate brush country where he often sees migrants in distress. John David Franz shows where son found human remains, others hiding and lost". Border Report. Archived from the original on December 1, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  18. ^ Wilder, Forrest (May 20, 2015). "Border and immigration. To save lives, close the Falfurrias Border Patrol Checkpoint". Texas Observer.
  19. ^ a b Hernandez, Kristian (June 20, 2016). "Human rights center adds water stations as migrant deaths rise". Valley Morning Star (Harlingen, Texas). p. 5.
  20. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Archived from the original on April 19, 2015. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  21. ^ "Decennial Census of Population and Housing by Decade". US Census Bureau.
  22. ^ "Texas Almanac: Population History of Counties from 1850–2010" (PDF). Texas Almanac. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved April 19, 2015.
  23. ^ "P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Brooks County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  24. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Brooks County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  25. ^ "P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2020: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Brooks County, Texas". United States Census Bureau.
  26. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on December 27, 1996. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  27. ^ "2010 Comptroller General General Election Results". David Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Archived from the original on February 28, 2018. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  28. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on March 23, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2018.
  29. ^ Texas Education Code Sec. 130.167. BEE COUNTY COLLEGE DISTRICT SERVICE AREA. Archived September 22, 2021, at the Wayback Machine The legislation calls it "Bee County College".
  30. ^ "Missing in Brooks County". Rottentomatoes. November 14, 2021. Archived from the original on November 14, 2021. Retrieved November 15, 2021.

Further reading (most recent first)

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27°02′N 98°13′W / 27.04°N 98.21°W / 27.04; -98.21

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