The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that it will temporarily suspend all railway operations at the international bridges in El Paso and Eagle Pass, Texas, starting from Dec. 19, 2023, at 8 a.m. The suspension is a response to the surge in border crossings by migrants, especially families, and unaccompanied children, who have arrived between the ports of entry.
CBP’s Contingency Measures
According to the CBP’s news release, the suspension of railway operations will allow the CBP’s Office of Field Operations officers to assist the U.S. Border Patrol in processing and vetting the migrants in a safe and swift manner. The CBP said that it regularly plans for and executes contingency measures, such as this, to support its border security mission and ensure the safety and wellbeing of those in its custody.
The CBP also said that it informed the stakeholders of the temporary suspension earlier and that it will remain in communication with them and provide updates as they become available. The CBP said that it will work to resume normal operations as quickly as possible.
The CBP advised the members of the trade community to consider the nearby Ysleta, Santa Teresa, or Marcelino Serna (Tornillo) cargo facilities as alternative entry points during the suspension of service. The CBP also advised the members of the traveling public to monitor the border wait times at its website, which is updated hourly.
The Migrant Surge and Its Impacts
The suspension of railway operations at the Texas border crossings is the latest impact of the migrant surge that has overwhelmed the U.S. immigration system. According to the CBP’s statistics, the agency encountered more than 1.7 million migrants at the southwest border in fiscal year 2021, which ended on Sept. 30, 2023. This is the highest number in more than two decades.
The migrant surge has been driven by various factors, such as poverty, violence, corruption, natural disasters, and climate change in the countries of origin, as well as the perception of more lenient policies under the Biden administration. The majority of the migrants are from Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador.