The Only State Lawmaker Who Lives on the Border

There are 7,383 state legislators in the United States, and many of them, it seems, want to do something about the border. But there’s only one state lawmaker who actually lives there. Poncho Nevarez can’t just see Mexico from his house; when the breeze is right, he can hit a golf ball there. That makes the 46-year-old trial lawyer and four-term Democratic state representative from Eagle Pass, Texas, a unique voice in the debate over border security. Getting the border right, in Poncho’s opinion, starts with listening to the people who live there. And Poncho has a lot to say. Buckle up: you’re going to Texas as our host, Jamilah King, interviews senior reporter Tim Murphy about his recent visit to Eagle Pass, Texas. You can read (and watch) more about Tim’s travels with Mother Jones’ digital producer Mark Helenowski at MotherJones.com. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices