Feds Close Two Border Bridges In Response To Migrant Surge

Feds Close Two Border Bridges In Response To Migrant Surge

Jennie Taer on September 20, 2023

Federal authorities closed two bridges along the southern border Wednesday after thousands of migrants entered illegally, according to a statement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

CBP closed the two bridges in the small border town of Eagle Pass, Texas, after a few thousand migrants crossed in recent days, the agency said. Eagle Pass Mayor Rolando Salinas Jr. issued an emergency declaration Tuesday for a period of one week.

“Beginning this afternoon, CBP’s Office of Field Operations will temporarily suspend vehicle processing operations at Bridge 1 and the international railway crossing bridge in Eagle Pass, Texas in order to redirect personnel to assist the U.S. Border Patrol with taking migrants into custody,” CBP said.

“In response to this influx in encounters, we will continue to surge all available resources to expeditiously and safely process migrants. We will maximize consequences against those without a legal basis to remain in the United States. CBP will continue to prioritize our border security mission as necessary in response to this evolving situation,” CBP added.

The border areas of San Diego and El Paso are also seeing surges in illegal immigration in recent days.

Thousands of migrants were also seen atop freight trains in Mexico bound for the U.S. border. As a result, the services 0f trains in Mexico were suspended.

Border Patrol recorded more than 1.6 million illegal crossings at the U.S.-Mexico border between October 2022 and July, according to federal data. In fiscal year 2022, the number of known illegal crossings hit a record 2.2 million.

In September 2021, federal authorities stationed near Eagle Pass in Del Rio, Texas, saw roughly 15,000 illegal migrants, mostly from Haiti, cross under the international bridge in a matter of days.