Rio Grande Valley

The wall along the U.S.-Mexico border cuts across sensitive desert and mountainous terrain. But environmental regulations are waived for wall construction, raising concerns about longterm damage.

With President Trump's emergency declaration, residents of the Rio Grande Valley know that a new border wall is coming to their region. Some welcome the construction, while others say it's not needed.

The complex business of crossing the U.S.-Mexico border without papers is changing profoundly. One human smuggler tells NPR that his business is worse than he's ever seen it.

How does a promising young cop go from town hero to drug trafficker? A former rogue officer details what led him to the dark side in a region known for corruption.

It's a time-honored tradition in South Texas: Local candidates who need votes go to campaign workers known as politiqueras. But some of those workers are now charged with manipulating mail-in ballots.

The FBI is cracking down on rampant corruption in the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas. With voter fraud, drug smuggling and bribery a big part of border culture, it's proving to be a difficult task.