Texas Construction: Fences Erected to Block ICE Entry

Construction firms across South Texas are erecting wire fences and posting signs around their job sites to restrict access. The measures are intended to prevent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents from entering private property without a judicial warrant.

Business owners state that immigration operations have intensified in recent weeks. This increase has caused workers to avoid their jobs out of fear of being questioned or detained based on their appearance. The issue affects both undocumented workers and those with legal authorization to remain in the United States.

Benigno Meléndez, a construction business owner in San Juan, Texas, recently installed signs on a property where he erected a fence. He explained that without a fence and a sign stating 'no entry,' agents do not treat the area as private. Meléndez said, 'If you don't have a fence with a sign that says "no entry," they don't consider it private and they get in.'

Meléndez noted that the raids are reducing the available workforce. Workers are hesitant to show up because they fear being questioned or subjected to violence during operations. He referenced an incident in Brownsville where an ICE agent pointed a pistol and a pepper spray canister at a worker who identified himself as a U.S. citizen.

Yahaira Martínez, who owns a construction company, said the fear has spread among her employees regardless of their immigration status. She observed, 'Even if they are here legally with permits and everything, they are still afraid to go to work because of everything happening with immigration.'

Mario Guerrero, CEO of the South Texas Builders Association, said federal government guidance led members to fence in their properties completely. He quoted the guidance: 'This is what the government in the United States told us: if your property isn't completely closed off, front and back, even a house isn't private.'

Ronnie Cavazos, president of the association, argued that the system needs repair before strict enforcement. He stated, 'How do we reinforce laws of a broken system?.. First fix the system and then enforce the laws; so, for me, it was done in reverse.' Builders have asked the federal government for help with what they describe as indiscriminate arrests. They also report difficulty finding qualified replacements for employees lost to the raids. The fencing and signage remain the primary physical barrier these companies use to define the limits of their private land.