The county claims it does not have the resources to deal with the large number of migrants, and in 2021 proclaimed a state of emergency.

These tribes settled in rock shelters in the river and creek valleys, leaving behind artifacts and caches of seeds, implements, burial sites, and petroglyphs.

Saltillo Alcalde Fernando de Azcué passed through the southeast corner of the county in 1665 on an expedition, becoming the first European to cross the Rio Grande.

In 1675, Fernando del Bosque traversed the area on an expedition up the Rio Grande from the city of Nuestra Sra.

[9] Alonso De León in 1688 discovered French explorer and La Salle expedition deserter Jean Henri in a somewhat confused state of mind, among the Coahuiltecan Indians near the site of present Brackettville, generally believed to be at Anacacho Mountain.

[10] During the late 18th century, several Franciscans established a settlement on Las Moras Creek near the center of the county.

[11] In 1834, while the area was still under Mexican control, English land speculators John Charles Beales and James Grant attempted to establish an English-speaking colony called Dolores at the site.

Brackett became a stop on a stage line from San Antonio to El Paso, but the settlement grew very slowly because of continuous Indian attacks.

[14] On February 18, 1861, on orders from United States Army General David E. Twiggs, Fort Clark was surrendered to the Texas Commission.

In early 1872, a number of Black Seminoles living along the border were organized into a company of scouts and brought to Fort Clark.

[18] A large Civilian Conservation Corps camp constructed adjacent to Fort Clark helped to employ some people during the Great Depression.

Preserved as a tourist attraction, Alamo Village continued to serve as a set for hundreds of movies and documentaries.

[19] Kickapoo Cavern State Park, 6,400 acres (26 km2) in both Edwards and Kinney Counties, opened to the public in 1991.

As they cannot enforce federal immigration laws, they arrest migrants for trespassing on private property (ranches).

[23] According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,365 sq mi (3,540 km2), of which 5.1 square miles (13 km2) (0.4%) are covered by water.

[24] The county is separated from Mexico by the Rio Grande, and drained by numerous small tributaries of that river.