The U.S.-Mexico border region faces significant challenges despite receiving billions in government spending for immigration enforcement. The disparity between investment and residents’ quality of life is stark, with many lacking access to basic necessities like safe drinking water and hospitals. In Texas, 30,000 border residents lack reliable drinking water, while Arizona’s border with Mexico struggles with a lack of full-service hospitals. Despite billions flowing into the region, poverty persists, unemployment rates are high, and infrastructure remains underfunded. While billions are allocated to border security, essential needs like water and healthcare infrastructure are overlooked.

Residents in towns like Del Rio, Texas, and Douglas, Arizona, face daily struggles due to inadequate resources. In Del Rio, families cope with water scarcity, relying on neighbors for water supply. In Douglas, the absence of a full-service hospital poses life-threatening challenges, forcing residents to travel long distances for medical care. Efforts to address these challenges face funding shortages and delays, impacting the well-being of border communities.

State and federal leaders emphasize border security funding, allocating substantial sums for enforcement measures. However, grassroots organizers and officials highlight the urgent need for investment in water infrastructure, hospitals, and community services. The article sheds light on the ongoing battle in border communities to secure basic resources and challenges policymakers to prioritize residents’ well-being over security measures.