Podcasts · Immigration Crisis: The Fight for the Southern Border

Buoy retrieval halts bridge traffic for over eight hours

3 Aug 2026 · 15 min

Recent flooding along the Rio Grande swept hundreds of federal border buoys from staging and installation areas near Eagle Pass, sending some of the barriers more than 100 miles downriver toward Laredo.

The flooding temporarily disrupted international bridge traffic, raised questions about who was responsible for securing the barriers and left federal contractors working to recover buoys from both sides of the river.

The flooding came as federal officials continued expanding buoy barriers along portions of the Texas-Mexico border.

Video recorded during the flooding showed cylindrical buoys floating down the Rio Grande as people gathered along the Mexican side of the river to watch.

The buoys were floating individually rather than in connected sections, indicating that many had not yet been installed or anchored in the river.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection said the buoys were under the control of a contractor and had been staged at nearby Shelby Park when rapidly rising water swept them into the river.

As a result of the heavy rains in Eagle Pass, Texas, this week, buoys under the responsibility of control of the contractor that were staged at nearby Shelby Park, were swept into the river due to the fast-rising water. These were not buoys that were already deployed and anchored in the river. CBP is working with its contractor to retrieve these buoys.

Waterborne barriers are intended to create a safer border environment for patrolling agents, as well as deter migrants from attempting to illegally cross the border through dangerous waterways. In addition, they provide effective impedance and denial capabilities that enhance natural barriers and complement land based, steel bollard border wall systems nearby.

Eagle Pass temporarily closed its international bridges because of concerns that the barriers could strike the bridge pillars and cause damage. The bridges reopened after inspections determined they were safe.

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar said local governments had prepared for the flooding and warned federal officials about the potential danger posed by the rising river.

"The CBP, DHS, and the contractors ignored the local communities and look, now they have an embarrassing situation because they didn't listen to the local folks," Cuellar said.

"Do you think that the contractors should face repercussions for that?" Jordan Elder asked.

"Well, you know, absolutely. They should answer why they did not move the buoys to a safer place. They have to answer: what are they going to reimburse the city because bridges were closed down? I think these contractors are paid billions of dollars. I think they definitely have to answer, and I will be asking DHS when they get back to me about, hey, who's going to reimburse the local communities for this situation?"

Images taken after sunrise in Eagle Pass showed individual buoys continuing to move downriver. Other buoys had accumulated in an offshoot of the river, including a large number on the Mexican side.

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