Gulf Coast & South Texas - Texas - page 597

PLEASE FENCE ME IN
After spending close to $3 billion since 2005, the US Department of Homeland Security has a fence along the
Mexican border that is still far from complete. But travelers to the eastern end of the Rio Grande Valley will see
plenty of tax dollars at work. From the Gulf of Mexico, a 20ft-tall fence runs along the Rio Grande for over 200
miles. Built of heavy steel and with slats to allow small animals through (but certainly not people!) it is impos-
sible to miss as you drive US 281.
The fence has caused plenty of controversy. Some ranchers have complained that it runs too far inland from the
border and the river, cutting off vital access. You'll see protest signs from residents cut off from their own country
on the drive out to the Sabal Palm Audubon Center and Sanctuary.
Environmentalists' fears that it would disrupt bird migratory paths are still not proven, but areas of natural
beauty in some places along the river have suffered greatly.
Meanwhile, no one is sure if the wall is even restricting the flow of immigrants and drugs into the US (or if
drops in border crossings have been the result of reduced economic activity stateside). Tunnels, ladders and other
exotic schemes have all been used to circumvent it. Repairs are constant, even as the arguing over how - or if - it
should be finished continues. Wall or no wall, you will constantly see border patrols when you drive near the bor-
der. And checkpoints are common, even relatively far inland.
TOP OF CHAPTER
McAllen
POP 132,400
McAllen is not just near the Mexican border, it is also near a natural border. To the east
are the lush green lands of the Rio Grande Valley, with its farms, palm trees and fast-
growing population. To the west is the beginning of the Chihuahuan Desert, where the
land becomes more barren due to the increasingly arid climate.
McAllen is the center of two Texas industries: grapefruits and Winter Texans. The
former are picked when ripe and juicy, the latter are, well, ripe. The highlight of the sea-
son for many is the huge Texas Square Dance Jamboree held each February.
Although McAllen may be short on attractions, its many hotels and restaurants plus its
central location make it a good base for exploring the natural delights of the surrounding
area, including the sites of the World Birding Center ( www.worldbirdingcenter.org ).
WHAT THE…? KILLER BEE
The World's Largest Killer Bee statue (704 E Texano Dr) is in Hidalgo. A classic example of a town's efforts to
make lemonade from lemons - or in this case honey from imminent peril - the statue dates to the early 1990s.
Hidalgo spent $20,000 on this statue. You might say they got stung as 'killer bees' turned out not to represent a
grave threat to society.