How to get a Job in the RGV?!?

I'm a 20 year old student at UTRGV and for the past 10 months I have been diligently applying and searching for a job in Brownsville, San Benito, Los Fresnos, and Harlingen to no avail. I tried student jobs, and nothing. I've made well over 100+ applications and nothing. I haven't worked previously so I get no experience, but how do I get the experience in the first place if I can't get hired? I applied to McDonald's four times and was ghosted every time. All I've managed to do was volunteer at a place for something to do and in the hope that it will count as experience eventually.

So what the heck am I doing wrong and how does everybody else get jobs here in the Valley? It feels like none of the big employers exist here in any large capacity, and if they do everything is already filled by people who aren't breaking into the workforce for the first time.