An urgent call from the descendants of Porvenir

Do not erase
Porvenir again.

A proposed border barrier and its construction roads threaten sacred ground, archaeological evidence, and descendants’ access to the site where 15 Mexican American men and boys were murdered in 1918.

Sign the petition Understand what is at stake →

The petition

Protect this sacred ground.

We call on President Donald J. Trump, Secretary of Homeland Security Markwayne Mullin, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney S. Scott to act before irreversible damage is done.

Addressed to

The President of the United States · The Secretary of Homeland Security · The Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection

01
Pause work immediately
Stop clearing, roadwork, and barrier construction in and around the historically sensitive Porvenir area.
02
Disclose the route and impacts
Release the proposed construction route, work plans, cultural-resource findings, archaeological impact documentation, and any preservation waivers or exemptions being relied upon.
03
Reroute and protect
Move the barrier and associated roads away from the massacre site and guarantee continued access for descendants.
04
Complete a formal preservation review
Conduct a transparent cultural-resources review with qualified archaeologists, historians, and preservation authorities, and recognize descendants as consulting parties before work resumes.

Read the complete petition and delivery list →

—people have signed

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Stand with descendants in asking federal officials to protect the Porvenir Massacre site.

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January 28, 1918

A crime scene.
A memorial.
Sacred land.

In the early morning cold, Texas Rangers and local ranchers took 15 unarmed Mexican American men and boys from their homes in Porvenir, Texas. They marched them to a bluff and killed them without trial or evidence of wrongdoing.

The surviving women and children fled. The U.S. Army later burned what remained of their village. No one was ever held criminally responsible. For generations, families carried the truth while the country largely forgot.

Archaeological work in 2015 confirmed the location and recovered evidence that helped reveal the military’s involvement. Construction through this landscape could destroy evidence that still has more to teach us.

108years later, the fight against erasure continues.

Read the full history →

Remember their names

The fifteen

Men and boys. Family members. Neighbors. Their lives are the reason this place must remain protected.

01Antonio Castañeda

02Longino Flores

03Alberto Garcia

04Eutimio Gonzalez

05Ambrosio Hernández

06Pedro Herrera

07Severiano Herrera

08Vivian Herrera

09Macedonio Huertas

10Tiburcio Jáquez

11Juan Jiménez

12Pedro Jimenez

13Serapio Jiménez

14Manuel Moralez

15Róman Nieves

Meet the families and survivors →

The family archive

A century of memory, testimony, and public recognition.

The original Porvenir website grew into an essential descendant-led archive. Explore its history, family stories, film, marker, centennial commemoration, media, and classroom resources here.

Fifteen memorial plaques displayed with candles for the victims of the Porvenir Massacre

Why action is urgent

The route can still change. The damage cannot be undone.

Recent reporting indicates the planned alignment remains subject to change. That makes this the moment to demand an informed route that respects history, archaeology, and the families who still return to honor their ancestors.

Read Texas Public Radio’s coverage ↗Read the Big Bend Sentinel report ↗

Campaign updates

This story is moving quickly.

August 2026

Proposed wall path draws national attention

Descendants, archaeologists, and preservation advocates are calling for transparency and protection as contractors begin work in the region.

Add your name to the call →