Puente News Collaborative is a bilingual nonprofit news organization, convener, and funder committed to preserving local news as a public good by investing in newsrooms, supporting journalists, and filling critical gaps in reporting across the U.S.-Mexico border.
The collapse of local news
Number of news outlets along the U.S. - Mexico border
Number of news outlets along the U.S. - Mexico border
What Is Happening
Across the U.S., more than 3,200 local newspapers have shut down. Of the 25 counties along the U.S.-Mexico border, nearly half have only one or no newsroom at all.
Why It Matters
With the collapse of local news, communities see a concerning decrease in voter participation, civic engagement, and government accountability reporting, and corresponding increases in community polarization, government waste, and disinformation campaigns.
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Stories from the collaborative
This poll shows a major shift in how South Texas voters feel about Trump, the economy
San Antonio Express-News | October 21, 2026
Alfredo Corchado, Dudley Althaus
EDINBURG — South Texas voters who embraced Donald Trump two years ago have largely soured on the two-term president, and many of them are now smiling on a Tejano music star who's running for Congress as a Democrat, according to a new poll. Read more
Mexican cartels are building luxury fleets by stealing U.S. rental cars
LA Times | October 11, 2026
Steve Fisher
MEXICO CITY – Mexican cartels are stealing cars and trucks from U.S. rental agencies at an alarming rate, spiriting thousands of vehicles across the border each year to keep cartel leaders in the latest model BMWs and Cadillacs. Read more
‘Our border is closed’: Inside Trump’s push for zero migrants — and the tunnels defying it
LA Times | September 9, 2026
Steve Fisher
When the Trump administration announced this summer that illegal crossings into the U.S. from Mexico had reached historic lows, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin declared, “Our border is CLOSED to lawbreakers." Even so, the administration continues to pressure both Mexico and U.S. officials to curb illegal immigration further. The crackdown has prompted smugglers to become more creative. Read more
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In the news
Puente News Executive Editor Alfredo Corchado receives the 2026 I.F. Stone Medal for Journalistic Independence
In the news
Puente News Executive Editor Alfredo Corchado receives the 2026 I.F. Stone Medal for Journalistic Independence
"Alfredo Corchado, executive editor of the Puente News Collaborative, has been chosen to receive the 2026 I.F. Stone Medal for Journalistic Independence in recognition of his work directing Puente’s innovative, partnership-driven approach to reporting along both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border."