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Joseph Hein at his 580-acre ranch on the Webb and Zapata county lines on Feb. 15, 2023. Hein breeds horses at his ranch, but fears that if the border wall is built through a portion of his land, it will restrict access to the Rio Grande River and he will likely have to sell his horses.

This rancher doesn’t want a border wall on his land. He fears Texas will build it anyway.

Anti-border wall activists are racing to find landowners along the Rio Grande before they sign contracts with the state.


Owner of the 580-acre Rancho Santo Niño Joseph Hein unlocks a gate to his property on the Webb and Zapata County lines on Feb. 15, 2023.
The Rio Grande River seen from Joseph Hein’s 580-acre ranch on the Webb and Zapata county lines on Feb. 15, 2023.
Joseph Hein drives by a deer blind used for deer hunting at his 580-acre ranch on the Webb and Zapata county lines on Feb. 15, 2023.
A water tower in Rio Bravo on Feb. 16, 2023.

“The ones who hold the power”

Jose G. Diaz De Leon, a member of the Chichimeca Tribe, leads the sacred shell ceremony to stop the building of the border wall in Webb and Zapata counties outside of the El Cenizo Public Library on Feb. 16, 2023.
Executive Director at the Rio Grande International Study Center Tricia Cortez speaks about new border wall contracts affecting Webb and Zapata counties at the No Border Wall Coalition’s emergency border wall town hall in El Cenizo on Feb. 15, 2023.
Attendees listen to speakers discuss new border wall contracts in Webb and Zapata counties at the No Border Wall Coalition’s emergency border wall town hall in El Cenizo on Feb. 15, 2023.
A “No Border Wall” sign at the No Border Wall Coalition’s emergency border wall town hall in El Cenizo on Feb. 15, 2023.
An attendee at the No Border Wall Coalition’s town hall in El Cenizo wears a “No Border Wall” t-shirt on Feb. 15, 2023.

Scaling back promises

A portion of the Rio Grande River along Joseph Hein’s 580-acre ranch where his horses often drink water on the Webb and Zapata county lines on Feb. 15, 2023. Hein says if the wall is built through his property and restricts access to the river, he will likely have to stop breeding and sell his horses.
Joseph Hein’s stud horse Tiny Moon Legacy runs at his 580-acre ranch on the Webb and Zapata county lines on Feb. 15, 2023. Hein says a portion of his land is in jeopardy of having a border wall built right through it thus restricting access to the Rio Grande River. If the wall is built through his property and restricts access to the river, he will likely have to stop breeding and sell his horses.
Joseph Hein stands near the Rio Grande River at his 580-acre ranch on the Webb and Zapata county lines on Feb. 15, 2023.
Moving water from the Rio Grande River along Joseph Hein’s 580-acre ranch where his horses often drink water on the Webb and Zapata county lines on Feb. 15, 2023. Hein says if the wall is built through his property and restricts access to the river, he will likely have to stop breeding and sell his horses.

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