3902 S. Expressway 77
Harlingen, Texas 78552
Phone (956) 366-3000
Fax: (956) 366-3001
Harlingen is located 30 miles east from McAllen.
The Harlingen Station was officially established in 1925, with four officers assigned. However, as early as 1922, Immigration Border Guards rode the freight and passenger trains into Harlingen, checking for aliens. The Station was established at Harlingen due to its location in the heart of the farming area. The station was the hub of transportation for travelers desiring to go north or west.
When originally established, Harlingen was part of the McAllen Sector. On Jan. 1, 1955, the Brownsville Sector was established and Harlingen became part of that sector, which was again re-designated as the Port Isabel Sector. Personnel at that time consisted of one Station Senior, four Senior Patrol Inspectors, and thirty Patrol Inspectors. In July 1974, the Port Isabel Sector was abolished and Harlingen once again became a part of the McAllen Sector.
Because of Operation Rio Grande, and a drastic increase in personnel, a new 50,000 square foot building was constructed starting in June 1999. The new facility was completed in 2000 and occupied near the end of the year. The new Harlingen Border Patrol Station is situated on 20 acres of land on Expressway 77 and New Hampshire St. in Harlingen, Texas.
TOPOGRAPHY & BOUNDARIES
The Harlingen Border Patrol Station area of responsibility encompasses 1,204 square miles. The east boundary originates along the U.S. - Mexico border at Tick Rider Road in San Pedro, Texas, and extends west toward the Hidalgo County line at Santa Maria, Texas. The northern boundary extends north towards Norias, Texas, past the Willacy County line into Kenedy County on U.S. Highway 77 and east towards the Gulf Coast. It extends south towards Rio Hondo, Texas, to the intersection of Farm-to-Market roads 803 and 510. The Harlingen Station is responsible for thirty-seven miles of river area.
The entire Station area is made up of rich, flat farming and ranching land. The total cultivated area consists of about 390,000 acres. Canals carry irrigation water from the riverside, pumps of various water districts, to a point about 35 miles from the River, just north of Raymondville in Willacy County. The northern and eastern portions of Willacy County are devoted to livestock raising with a few large ranches occupying most of the area.