A big thank you to our latest subscribers and some exciting updates

Muchas gracias, y un abrazo

It has been an inspiring first three weeks since the launch of Across the Americas, the newsletter of insightful, independent journalism from the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas. The sheer number of stories in our region that cry out to be told — each worthy and powerful — is incredible and humbling to behold.

There is one thing I know to be true about this region. Our community has a huge heart, and that heart is made of our people's voices, journeys, truths and histories. It would take a very big space to house all the reporters needed to do all those histories justice. The Los Angeles Times building has eight floors. That might be a good start.

Muchas gracias, y un abrazo to everyone who has subscribed since our last update, shared our stories on social and reached out with news tips and story ideas. Thank you!

Cuéntanos tu historia!

There is now an email address to make it easier to reach out directly. You can send news tips, comments, questions, or concerns to via email to newsroom@acrosstheamericas.com.

ATA on The Texas Standard this week

I'm proud to say Across the Americas had its first media mention and appearance this week on the Austin-based national daily news show, The Texas Standard.

Last week, the Trump administration authorized the Department of Defense to create military zones called "National Defense Areas" on federal land on the U.S.-Mexico border, and I was a guest on the show after publishing a story on the newly granted authority.

An updated follow-up with additional reporting from Melissa del Bosque was published on The Border Chronicle, where I am a regular contributor.

You can listen to the full interview on The Texas Standard here:

Trump authorizes military control of federal land along the border. What does that mean for Texas?

None of the land in question is in Texas, but there are expected to be ripple effects.

Texas StandardSarah Asch

📌 The Border Chronicle is an incredible publication providing national coverage of border communities across the country from the perspective of the people who live there, I encourage everyone to check it out.

The Border Chronicle | Substack

Original Reporting and Analysis from the U.S.-Mexico Border. Click to read The Border Chronicle, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.

SubstackThe Border Chronicle

Editorial standards page now available

Editorial standards for Across the Americas are now available on the website. If you're wondering more about what guidelines are followed for reporting in this newsletter, you can check them out here.

Latest coverage

Last but not least, here is our latest coverage since our last update. The easiest way to get all of our stories is by subscribing to our newsletter via email.

Shelby Park left unexpectedly open on Sunday after almost two years of state military occupation

It was from Shelby Park that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott implemented some of the most extreme physical deterrents against migrants crossing the Rio Grande at the height of Operation Lone Star.

Across The AmericasPablo De La Rosa

Trump authorizes new military national defense areas on the U.S.-Mexico border in response to an ‘invasion’

Trump signs one of the most significant expansions of Military authority on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Across The AmericasPablo De La Rosa

Rep. Henry Cuellar votes with Republicans to pass a voter registration bill that critics call ‘discriminatory’

Republicans introduced the SAVE Act in response to growing concerns within their party about the potential for noncitizens to register and vote.

Across The AmericasPablo De La Rosa

Once expanded, Rio Grande LNG will process more liquid gas than any U.S. terminal today

Amid fierce local opposition, a major industrial project in Brownsville has announced a significant expansion of its development plans.

Across The AmericasPablo De La Rosa

‘A much-needed outlet’: More demonstrations planned in the Rio Grande Valley amid civil liberties crisis

People in the Rio Grande Valley continue to speak out as fear over civil liberties and deportations hits home.

Across The AmericasPablo De La Rosa

About Across the Americas

Across the Americas is the newsletter of insightful and independent journalism from the Rio Grande Valley.

Join three-time award-winning journalist Pablo De La Rosa as he reports from the Texas-Mexico border, where he was born and raised. He covers stories from the Rio Grande Valley and North Tamaulipas, focusing on the people and communities who call the region home.

Pablo's voice has appeared on NPR, MSNBC, Texas Public Radio, The Border Chronicle, and Lighthouse Reports documentaries. In 2022, Pablo helped launch and host the first daily Spanish-language newscast in public media for Texas, broadcasting from the Rio Grande Valley for San Antonio’s NPR station.

Sign up to receive community stories from every corner of regional life — told through the lens of the national, binational and global forces shaping the borderlands.