El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego Issues Disaster Declaration for Storm Flooding as Civic Leaders Condemn Intimidation

County Judge Ricardo Samaniego Signs Official Flood Disaster Declaration

EL PASO, Texas — Mobilizing county emergency resources in response to destructive weather on October 27–28, 2026, El Paso County Judge Ricardo Samaniego officially signed an executive Local Disaster Declaration. Severe late-October desert thunderstorms dropped torrential rain across the region, triggering flash floods that overflowed natural arroyos, damaged dozens of homes, and submerged low-lying arterial thoroughfares across Socorro, Horizon City, and the Mission Valley. The declaration authorizes the deployment of emergency road repair reserves and requests state disaster recovery grants from the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM).

County commissioners commended emergency first responders who performed high-water rescues, urging motorists to respect barricades along storm channels while public works crews clear accumulated silt and debris.

Civic Leaders and NAACP Convene Anti-Hate Rally at Enrique Moreno Courthouse

Standing united against intimidation, the El Paso NAACP, League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), and local elected officials held a prominent press conference on the steps of the Enrique Moreno County Courthouse to strongly condemn a recently circulated video showing masked individuals displaying Ku Klux Klan regalia in public. Community leaders urged residents to report hate speech and unlawful harassment, calling on law enforcement to investigate all potential civil rights violations.

Elected officials reaffirmed that El Paso’s strength lies in its vibrant bicultural unity, asserting that attempts to intimidate or divide Borderland families will be met with immediate condemnation and legal scrutiny.

Western District Federal Court Sentences Human Smuggling Facilitator to 9 Years

In federal law enforcement milestones, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas announced that a federal judge in El Paso sentenced a transnational smuggling coordinator to 9 years (108 months) in federal prison. Federal Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agents proved the defendant operated a clandestine network transporting migrants in dangerous vehicle compartments across West Texas, reaffirming strict federal penalties for human exploitation operations.