Complaints about alleged aggressive driving by U.S. Border Patrol agents are surfacing in local Big Bend community forums, with residents across Brewster and Presidio counties describing what they say are repeated experiences of tailgating, high beams and close following on remote highways.
The latest discussion emerged this week in one of Alpine’s largest online community groups, where dozens of residents weighed in after a local driver described repeated encounters with Border Patrol vehicles allegedly riding close behind motorists, sometimes for miles at night.
Many commenters said the experiences sounded familiar.
“This happened to me in Marathon as I was leaving the national park at night,” one commenter, HK Schaeffer, wrote. “High beams on, tailing me till I was out of city limits. It was unsettling.”
Amanda Johnson said she and her husband experienced something similar while driving home from Presidio to Terlingua.
“If we would have had to hit our brakes for any reason — animal or rock in the road — he would have ran into us,” Johnson wrote. “I know they have a job to do but I do feel this type of behavior can lead to some serious accidents.”
Several commenters described the behavior as dangerous on dark, rural roads where wildlife, livestock and debris are common hazards.
Rachael Connally, who said she frequently drives late at night for work, called the tactic “very unsafe.”
“I now pull over and wait for them to either leave or come talk to me at my window,” Connally wrote. “I understand it’s their job, but there is no reason to create an unsafe situation on the roads.”
Others speculated the driving may be an investigative tactic.
“They’re waiting for you to make a traffic violation, or speed up over the speed limit so they can justifiably pull you over,” Aaron Eaves wrote. “It’s an old trick because people are really uncomfortable with vehicles being right on their bumper.”
Brian Slaughter echoed that sentiment.
“Fairly certain it’s a tactic to see how you’ll react,” Slaughter wrote. “I’ve experienced it twice, got pulled over once.”
Some longtime residents said the issue is not new.
“They used to be really bad about this in south county back when I lived in Terlingua,” Steve Christie wrote. “They wouldn’t light you up, just ride your ass with high beams on in the pitch black.”
Others described being followed for long stretches of highway or pulled over after what they believed were attempts to provoke nervous driving.
Still, not everyone agreed the behavior was common.
“As someone who drives ‘prudent’ speeds … I have never once been tailgated by Border Patrol,” one local resident wrote in the discussion. “What the heck y’all doing to be so suspicious?”
Another commenter said she had lived in the region her entire life and had “literally never had this happen.”
The Big Bend region maintains a heavy Border Patrol presence because of its proximity to the U.S.-Mexico border, with agents routinely operating on highways connecting Alpine, Marathon, Marfa, Presidio, Study Butte and Terlingua.
The allegations shared in community forums could not be independently verified, and it remains unclear how widespread the experiences may be. However, the volume and consistency of accounts in local discussions suggest the issue resonates with many residents who regularly travel the region’s isolated roads — particularly at night.
