Texas Trade Zone Quietly Expands by One County
Published Date: 9/15/2026
Notice
Summary
The Foreign-Trade Zones Board just gave the green light to expand Foreign-Trade Zone 12’s service area to include Willacy County, Texas. This means businesses near the Hidalgo port can now enjoy special trade benefits, helping speed up imports and exports. The change follows all the rules and keeps the zone’s size limit at 2,000 acres, with no extra costs announced.
Analyzed Economic Effects
2 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
FTZ 12 Adds Willacy County
The Foreign-Trade Zones Board approved expanding Foreign-Trade Zone 12 to include Willacy County, Texas, adjacent to the Hidalgo Customs and Border Protection port of entry. The application was docketed as FTZ Docket B-39-2025 on August 8, 2025, and the Board adopted the order dated September 4, 2026.
2,000-Acre Activation Cap Applies
The approved reorganization is subject to the Board's standard 2,000-acre activation limit for the zone. The approval is also subject to the Foreign-Trade Zones Act and the Board's regulations, including section 400.13.
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