Joshua Lopez runs Quacker Smackers Outfitters in Roma, Texas, guiding fishing trips on the Rio Grande from a public boat ramp he’s used since childhood. About six weeks ago, new floating buoys were installed across his launch spots, and armed patrol boats began operating in the area. Lopez says the barriers have effectively cut him off from the river that his small business depends on.

What makes his story unusual is what he isn’t saying. Lopez isn’t calling for the buoys to come out, and he isn’t criticizing Border Patrol. He says he supports the agents’ work and notes that illegal immigration has dropped 96% since January 2025. His concern is narrower and, for many Texans, just as important: public access. “I do feel I am losing public access to the Rio Grande River, which we should have as citizens of the United States,” he said.

The bigger picture involves real money. According to CBP and federal contracts, 533 miles of floating barriers are planned along the Rio Grande at a cost of roughly $1 billion, with dozens of miles already in the water. Supporters say the investment is paying off in sharply reduced crossings. Lopez’s question is whether enforcement has to come at the expense of citizens who legally use the river, a tension Ellis County listeners know well as growth reshapes who gets access to land and water here at home.

What do you think? Should public boat ramps be protected when border barriers go in?