TL/DR –
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will temporarily suspend operations at international railway crossing bridges in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas, due to a surge in border crossings by migrants. Migrant apprehensions in recent weeks have strained federal resources, with around 3,000 migrants apprehended in Del Rio and 1,300 in El Paso on a single day, and the closures will enable personnel to be redirected to process migrants. The CBP attributes the surge in migration to misinformation propagated by transnational criminal organizations and cartels.
US Customs to Suspend Operations in Texas amid Migrant Surge
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will temporarily close railway crossings at Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas due to increases in migrant crossings. The operational closures start on Monday to allow personnel redirection for migrant processing, according to a CBP news release.
“CBP will continue to prioritize our border security mission in response to this situation,” said the agency.
On Sunday, border authorities apprehended close to 3,000 migrants in Del Rio, Texas, and about 1,300 migrants in El Paso, putting pressure on federal resources. Eagle Pass is within the Del Rio Border Patrol Sector.
In recent weeks, the Biden administration has also halted ports of entry to either vehicular or pedestrian crossings in certain locations, including Eagle Pass, Texas; Lukeville, Arizona; and San Ysidro, California.
More than 37,000 migrants were apprehended in the Tucson Border Patrol Sector – which encompasses Lukeville, within the first 14 days of December, according to John Modlin, the sector’s chief patrol agent.
The migrant surge is reportedly driven by misinformation spread by transnational criminal organizations and cartels, says CBP. After observing a resurgence of smuggling organizations moving migrants through Mexico via freight trains, CBP is increasing personnel and taking actions to address this issue, in partnership with Mexican authorities.
Border authorities noted a 2% increase in migrant apprehension between ports of entry from October to November, with about 192,000 migrants in November compared to 188,000 in October, as per US Border Patrol Chief Jason Owens.
CNN’s Priscilla Alvarez contributed to this report.
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