Ports of Entry in Texas and Arizona Diverting Staff to Apprehend Border Hoppers
Vehicle processing will be temporarily suspended or reduced at Texas and Arizona ports of entry as staff needed to deal with surge of unvetted immigrants.
Vehicle processing will be temporarily suspended or reduced at specific ports of entry in Texas and Arizona due to a surge in migrant encounters along the southern border, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have announced.
In a Nov. 27 press release, the CBP revealed that from 3 p.m. local time northbound from Mexico to the United States, vehicle processing operations at International Bridge 1 in Eagle Pass, Texas, will be suspended until further notice. Southbound operations from the United States to Mexico will reportedly remain unaffected. International Bridge 1 is a two-lane bridge with pedestrian walkways connecting Eagle Pass to the Piedras Negras downtown marketplace.
According to the CBP, the action is a response to a noticeable increase in people trying to cross the border illegally. All available personnel are being tasked with helping the U.S. Border Patrol take border hoppers into custody.
“In response to this influx in encounters, we will continue to surge all available resources to expeditiously and safely process migrants,” the CBP said in a statement.
“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.”
Immigrants line up as they wait for a bus to Chicago at the NGO Mission Border Hope's complex to transport them out of Eagle Pass, Texas, on Sept. 26, 2023. Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images
A statement posted to X from the City of Eagle Pass official account claims that the Biden administration, and not city officials, decided to close the bridge. The Epoch Times has contacted the White House for comment.
Bridge 1 was also closed for several weeks in late September after thousands of unvetted immigrants, mainly from Venezuela, overwhelmed border officials of the south Texas town. Millions have fled from socialist Venezuela to escape hyperinflation, extreme poverty, and the ongoing humanitarian, security, political, and environmental conditions in the troubled South American nation.
Reduced Vehicle Processing in Arizona
At the same time, from 2 p.m. local time, vehicle processing will be reduced in Lukeville, Arizona, as well. It’s unclear how long the reduced capacity will last. Lukeville lies in Border Patrol’s Tucson sector, one of the busiest along the Mexico border.
Chief Patrol Agent of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector, John Modlin, posted a statement on X, revealing that due to the ongoing border crisis, all Tucson Sector Border Patrol social media accounts will be temporarily reduced because the staff are needed elsewhere.
“At this time, all available personnel are needed to address the unprecedented flow. The social media team will return once the situation permits,” he said.
“We will continue to post our Week in Review statistics, demonstrating the continued efforts of our agents and staff,” Mr. Modlin added.
According to the latest figures from the Tuscon sector’s “Week in Review,” there have been 15,300 apprehensions, 117 pounds of Fentanyl seized, 17 rescues, 14 human trafficking events, and three narcotics events in the sector this past week.
The U.S.-Mexico in the Tucson Sector near Yuma, Ariz., on May 25, 2018. Samira Bouaou/The Epoch Times
Following the expiration of Title 42 earlier this year, the Biden administration has been under increasing pressure to address the massive influx of people trying to cross the borders illegally. Title 42 allowed the U.S. government to expel people from the country if they came from a location where an infectious disease was present. Since President Joe Biden took office, CBP agents have reportedly arrested more than 7 million people crossing the border illegally between ports of entry.
Floods of People Trying to Enter US
A staggering number of unvetted immigrants have been trying to enter the United States this year. Border Patrol agents reported a more than 1,000 percent increase in the number of illegal immigrants, from countries including China and Afghanistan, attempting to enter the United States back in July.
The trend continued, peaking in September when a record number of people crossed the U.S. Mexico border. According to CBP data, 269,735 migrants were encountered at the southern border during September. The CBP also reported the highest number of illegal immigrant encounters for any October on record, with 240,988 encounters.
Migrants who had been waiting for temporary transit papers, but failed to get them after waiting, some up to two months, leave Tapachula, Mexico, on Oct. 30, 2023, as they make their way to the U.S. border. Edgar Clemente/AP Photo
According to the data, total encounters along the southwest border saw an 11 percent decrease from September 2023, but the data shows that illegal crossings still stand at a record high for October. The agency also reported that 13 of the arrests it made during the month were people on the FBI terror watchlist. There were 18 people on the federal terrorist watchlist encountered between ports of entry at the southern border in September, bringing the total to 169 such encounters in fiscal year 2023, ending on Sept. 30.
There have been many different explanations as to why there have been droves of people making their way to the U.S. borders; the war in Europe and other turmoil around the world are obvious reasons as to why there are so many people on the move. However, according to the CBP, one cause of the considerable spike in people trying to cross the border could be the new tactics people smugglers are using.
“As we respond with additional resources and apply consequences for unlawful entry, the migration trends shift as well,” the government agency said in a statement.
“The U.S. is continuing to see increased levels of migrant encounters at the Southwest Border, fueled by smugglers peddling disinformation to prey on vulnerable individuals and encourage migration.”
Stephen Katte
Author
Stephen Katte is a freelance journalist at The Epoch Times. Follow him on X @SteveKatte1
