WESLACO, Texas — On Wednesday, former President Donald Trump and Governor Greg Abbott will tour the border wall together. It will be Trump's first trip back to the unfinished wall since he last left office in January.
It's expected to be a short visit but one that will thrust what's happening at the U.S.-Mexico border back into the national spotlight.
For folks in the Rio Grande Valley, the idea of the border wall continues to divide Texans.
"It's all theater appealing to Trump's base," said Marianna Trevino-Wright.
Jeff Campbell disagrees.
"I don't think there should be a debate. I think the wall is absolutely necessary," Campbell said.
But that debate is set to reignite in full Wednesday when former President Trump returns to tour the border wall with the Gov. Abbott wants Texas to finish the job.
"No way. Come and take it," Trevino-Wright said.
Trevino-Wright is executive director of the National Butterfly Center. The border wall would slice right through the 100-acre sanctuary and thousands of families' private property.
"People think you're for the wall and border security or you're for open borders, and that's not the case," she said.
She wants a secure border but says there's no crisis to contain here.
"If this were really a war zone, why would anyone live here," she said.
CBP data does show more fentanyl is being smuggled in than ever before and illegal crossings are peaking in recent months.
"Now we've seen a flood since Joe Biden got elected," Campbell said.
Folks like Campbell want a wall but need specifics.
"I want to hear they're taking steps to have this wall built," he said.
So far Abbott is scant on details on how he intends to get the wall built. The two men could provide more answers in just a matter of hours.
