The Texas Construction News staff writer
BROWNSVILLE — The U.S. General Services Administration and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have broken ground on a $300 million modernization project at the Brownsville-Gateway Land Port of Entry.
The massive infrastructure upgrade will completely overhaul the downtown Brownsville border facility, which handles an immense volume of regional trade and travel, including roughly 148,000 passenger vehicles and 157,000 pedestrians in March 2026 alone.
Construction plans involve demolishing outdated existing infrastructure to make way for a new 48,000-sq.ft. administration building, more than doubling the current 22,000-sq. ft. footprint. Inspection capabilities will also double, expanding from five primary inspection lanes to 10, and expanding to 24 secondary inspection spaces complete with overhead canopies. Additional upgrades feature a 6,000-sq. ft. headhouse, a 9,000-square-foot outbound inspection area, and newly configured parking facilities.
“GSA continues to fortify the federal portfolio by investing in critical infrastructure,” GSA Administrator Edward C. Forst said. “We are delivering on the President’s promise to secure our borders by building new, modernized facilities that ensure our immigration and customs law enforcement officers have the resources they need to keep America safe.”
U.S. Senator John Cornyn noted that the modernized facility will “streamline operations and the flow of commerce,” while protecting against national security threats. The project is slated for completion in late 2029.
