Socorro Mayor Rudy Cruz on Trading Salty Farmland for a Foreign Trade Zone

Socorro, Texas, a border city east of El Paso, is undergoing a significant economic transformation as it converts generations of irrigated farmland into a foreign trade zone, according to Mayor Rudy Cruz. In a recent episode of The Building Texas Show, hosted by Justin McKenzie, Cruz explained how the city is courting manufacturers and logistics firms while preserving its 400-year-old adobe missions.

The shift is driven by environmental and economic pressures. "It's sad to see the farmland going away," Cruz said. "The water isn't what it used to be. There's a lot of salt here and the salt kills off a lot of those plants." With salty irrigation water, reduced allocations, and triple-digit summer temperatures, many families are selling inherited farmland for commercial and industrial development. The city's new foreign trade zone is designed to attract tenants involved in cross-border trade with Mexico, capitalizing on its proximity to the border.

Cruz highlighted the partnership between Socorro and Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, one of only three federally recognized tribes in Texas. The collaboration has yielded economic benefits, including the development of business incubators on the former Braceros Farm site, helping local entrepreneurs overcome rent, payroll, and insurance costs. The tribe also secured federal highway dollars to rehabilitate an irrigation bridge that the city could not have funded alone. "You want to see a building that was built by people with their own hands 400 years ago? Come down here and visit it," Cruz said, emphasizing the community's commitment to preserving history while rebuilding its economy.

The Mission Trail, a nine-mile corridor linking three missions, has become a hub for local food and culture, with homes converted into restaurants, bistros, and breweries serving pecan and pomegranate beer. This keeps 300 to 400 years of foodways alive. Meanwhile, Socorro ISD's 6A programs enable students to graduate high school with associate's degrees and barber licenses, and Fort Bliss has shown interest in busing students in, boosting the local workforce.

Cruz, who previously worked as a small business development specialist for Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, sees these initiatives as key to Socorro's future. The city's focus on education, trade, and cultural preservation is positioning it as a model for other border communities facing similar challenges. The episode is available now wherever podcasts are heard.