8/6/2014
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Tourism is a big part of the Rio Grande Valley's economy but the recent spike in illegal immigrant is ruining the bottom line for some.
The number of immigrant children crossing the Rio Grande has come down, but some nature trails behind a bed and breakfast close to the river show all the signs that immigrants continue to move through the brush and even sleep there for the night.
Mike Fisher has run a bed and breakfast near the Rio Grande for 11 years but if the trend continues he won't be much longer.
"Each year it gets worse and worse. In the last two months I’ve had 3 people cancel," Fisher said.
Just about half a mile from the river, winding trails cut through the 18 acre property, but it not just the house guests walking these paths.
"They had the boards stacked up and the grass on top of the boards, you can see where the person laid,” Fisher said.
That's right, immigrants crossing the border illegally don't just walk through the property, they are spending the night.
But Fisher says it hasn't always been this way.
"The last four years it’s gotten worse. When I moved in here I never had a problem with them,” Fisher said, “It’s just been the last 4 years."
Now he is constantly fixing his damaged property and picking up the mess left behind.
"Somebody has to be carrying wire cutters because they cut this wire here," Fisher said. "We’ve pulled blankets and all kinds of things out of these woods."
Fisher says he watches his every step.
"I've actually had them do their business right in the middle of this path, that's why I’m always looking down,” Fisher said. "I look up too because Border Patrol told me they hide up in trees now too."
And when fisher does sees them, they aren't all friendly.
"I’ve actually had them come into my trailer on my porch,” Fisher said. “They've never hit me but they've come at me. I actually grabbed a golf club and I tell him I would knock him out with it. He dropped his water bottle and ran back into the woods."
Fisher says there isn't much he can do.
"I don't know what to do about it,” Fisher said, “There is no easy fix."
"The barbed wire fences don't keep people out and that's why Fisher says he hopes the National Guard deployment deters others from following down these paths.
Fisher asked that Action 4 not reveal his exact location to prevent more bad publicity for his business.
The number of immigrant children crossing the Rio Grande has come down, but some nature trails behind a bed and breakfast close to the river show all the signs that immigrants continue to move through the brush and even sleep there for the night.
Mike Fisher has run a bed and breakfast near the Rio Grande for 11 years but if the trend continues he won't be much longer.
"Each year it gets worse and worse. In the last two months I’ve had 3 people cancel," Fisher said.
Just about half a mile from the river, winding trails cut through the 18 acre property, but it not just the house guests walking these paths.
"They had the boards stacked up and the grass on top of the boards, you can see where the person laid,” Fisher said.
That's right, immigrants crossing the border illegally don't just walk through the property, they are spending the night.
But Fisher says it hasn't always been this way.
"The last four years it’s gotten worse. When I moved in here I never had a problem with them,” Fisher said, “It’s just been the last 4 years."
Now he is constantly fixing his damaged property and picking up the mess left behind.
"Somebody has to be carrying wire cutters because they cut this wire here," Fisher said. "We’ve pulled blankets and all kinds of things out of these woods."
Fisher says he watches his every step.
"I've actually had them do their business right in the middle of this path, that's why I’m always looking down,” Fisher said. "I look up too because Border Patrol told me they hide up in trees now too."
And when fisher does sees them, they aren't all friendly.
"I’ve actually had them come into my trailer on my porch,” Fisher said. “They've never hit me but they've come at me. I actually grabbed a golf club and I tell him I would knock him out with it. He dropped his water bottle and ran back into the woods."
Fisher says there isn't much he can do.
"I don't know what to do about it,” Fisher said, “There is no easy fix."
"The barbed wire fences don't keep people out and that's why Fisher says he hopes the National Guard deployment deters others from following down these paths.
Fisher asked that Action 4 not reveal his exact location to prevent more bad publicity for his business.
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