Brooks County, Texas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Brooks County
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The Brooks County Courthouse in Falfurrias
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Location within the U.S. state of Texas
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 Texas's location within the U.S. |
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| Country |  United States |
| State |  Texas |
| Founded | 1911 |
| Named for | James Brooks |
| Seat | Falfurrias |
| Largest city | Falfurrias |
| Area | |
| • Total | 944 sq mi (2,440 km2) |
| • Land | 943 sq mi (2,440 km2) |
| • Water | 0.3 sq mi (0.8 km2) 0.03%% |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 7,076 |
| • Density | 7.5/sq mi (2.9/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 15th |
Brooks County is a county in Texas, United States. Its county seat (main town) is Falfurrias. In 2020, about 7,076 people lived here. Around 88% of the people are Latino. Brooks County is known as one of the poorer counties in Texas.
The county got its name from James Abijah Brooks. He was a famous Texas Ranger who helped make the Rangers more modern. After he retired, he lived in Falfurrias. He worked to create Brooks County and served as a county judge for 30 years.
Brooks County has several large ranches, like Mariposa Ranch and the famous King Ranch. The biggest employer in the county is the Border Patrol checkpoint on US 281. This checkpoint was built in 1994 and made much bigger in 2019.
Contents
Challenges for People Crossing the Border
Brooks County is a very busy path for people trying to cross the border into the United States. Many people try to go around the Border Patrol checkpoint in Falfurrias. They hike about 35 miles through open, dry land. This area is flat, sandy, and very hard to walk on. It's easy to get lost because there are no clear landmarks.
During summer, temperatures often go above 100°F (38°C). This extreme heat can cause people to become very dehydrated or suffer from sunstroke. Sadly, more people crossing the border have died in Brooks County than in any other county in America. In 2014, some called it a "Death Valley" for these travelers.
People in trouble often call 911 for help. Between 2016 and 2018, there were 722 calls that led to Border Patrol rescues. The Border Patrol catches between 60 and 70 people crossing the border every day.
Impact on Brooks County
The large number of people crossing through Brooks County creates big challenges for the local community. Sometimes, people trying to get around the checkpoint cause problems for ranchers, like damaging fences. Local residents are also upset about the county's reputation because of the checkpoint and the deaths.
The cost of dealing with these issues is very high for the county. Brooks County has struggled to get enough help from the national government to cover these expenses. For example, the Border Patrol does not respond to 911 calls or help with people who die. This responsibility falls on the county.
The Brooks County Sheriff's Department, which once had 12 deputies, now has only two. These deputies work long hours in old vehicles. Even the Ed Rachal Memorial Library, the county's only public library, is only open one day a week.
In contrast, the Border Patrol facility in Brooks County is the largest border checkpoint in the country. It has modern equipment, many 4-wheel drive trucks with night-vision cameras, a helicopter, and 300 agents.
Efforts to Help and Manage the Situation
Many groups are working to help people crossing the border and to manage the situation in Brooks County:
- The South Texas Human Rights group, based in Brooks County, runs a hotline for missing persons.
- Humanitarian groups have set up water stations and emergency beacons on some ranches. These stations have GPS coordinates so people can tell rescuers where they are. Not all ranchers allow these stations on their land.
- Some ranchers have stopped using fences or put ladders over them to prevent damage. However, one rancher used an electric fence.
- Some people have suggested moving the Falfurrias Border Patrol Station to a less dangerous location.
On the other hand, some groups track which landowners allow water stations. Also, a group called Texas Border Volunteers helps catch people crossing the border and turns them over to the Border Patrol.
Geography
Brooks County covers about 943 square miles (2,442 square kilometers) of land. Only a tiny part, about 0.3 square miles (0.78 square kilometers), is covered by water.
Main Roads
U.S. Highway 281
Interstate 69C is being built and will mostly follow US 281.
State Highway 285
Farm to Market Road 755
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Neighboring Counties
Brooks County is surrounded by several other counties:
- Jim Wells County (north)
- Kleberg County (northeast)
- Kenedy County (east)
- Hidalgo County (south)
- Starr County (southwest)
- Jim Hogg County (west)
- Duval County (northwest)
Population Information
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 4,560 | — | |
| 1930 | 5,901 | 29.4% | |
| 1940 | 6,362 | 7.8% | |
| 1950 | 9,195 | 44.5% | |
| 1960 | 8,609 | −6.4% | |
| 1970 | 8,005 | −7.0% | |
| 1980 | 8,428 | 5.3% | |
| 1990 | 8,204 | −2.7% | |
| 2000 | 7,976 | −2.8% | |
| 2010 | 7,223 | −9.4% | |
| 2020 | 7,076 | −2.0% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census 1850–2010 2010–2020 |
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In 2020, Brooks County had 7,076 people. Most of the population, about 88%, was Hispanic or Latino.
In 2000, the average household had about 2.92 people. About 38.9% of households had children under 18. The median age in the county was 34 years old. This means half the people were younger than 34, and half were older.
The median income for a household in 2000 was $18,622. This means half the households earned more than this, and half earned less. About 40.2% of the population lived below the poverty line. This included more than half of the children under 18.
Communities
City
- Falfurrias (the main town and county seat)
Census-designated places (CDPs)
These are areas identified by the U.S. Census Bureau for statistical purposes.
Unincorporated community
Education
The main school district for students from kindergarten through 12th grade is the Brooks County Independent School District.
For college-level studies, Coastal Bend College (which used to be called Bee County College) is the community college for the county.
Movie About Brooks County
A documentary film called Missing in Brooks County focuses on the deaths of people in Brooks County. These are people who try to avoid the U.S. Border Patrol checkpoint. The movie has won many awards at film festivals. It shows the challenges the county faces, including the high costs of finding and helping people who get lost or die from the heat and lack of water. The film was released for streaming in November 2021 and was shown on PBS in January 2022.
Images for kids
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U.S. Highway 281 sign
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Interstate 69C sign
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Texas State Highway 285 sign
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Texas Farm to Market Road 755 sign
See also
In Spanish: Condado de Brooks (Texas) para niños
