SAN ANTONIO – As of Monday morning, operations at the international railway crossing bridges in Eagle Pass and El Paso are suspended. U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said they needed to suspend the crossings in part because of the recent resurgence of smuggling organizations moving migrants through Mexico via freight trains.
The same day the suspension took effect, Gov. Greg Abbott was set to sign SB 3 and SB 4, which sets aside more than $1.5 billion for border security measures and makes illegal entry into Texas a state criminal offense, respectively.
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, discussed what the state can do and the economic implications of the international railway suspension.
“Last year, we had $863 billion of trade in one year,” Cuellar said.
Hundreds of billions of dollars in goods get imported and exported between the United States and Mexico every year.
“It has an economic impact. That’s local, state and national. Every minute there’s more than $1.5 million of trade, total trade between the U.S. and Mexico,” Cuellar said.
So as Cuellar explained, when trade mechanisms are suspended, the local, state and national economies are impacted.
“This just means an economic impact and jobs that will be impacted because of migration. We’ve got to do a better job at stopping people,” Cuellar said.
In a statement, Customs and Border Patrol said they needed to take action.
“CBP has made a number of operational adjustments in order to maximize our ability to respond, process, and enforce consequences. In Eagle Pass, vehicular processing remains suspended at Eagle Pass International Bridge 1,” a portion of the statement read. You can read the full statement here.
Cuellar said, “We need to put more resources. But it’s not only adding more personnel technology, but it’s also making sure that we have the right policies.”
The Texas Legislature passed SB 4 which in part creates state criminal offenses related to illegal entry into Texas outside a port of entry – but this clash of state versus federal oversight may be a court battle in the making.
“I think there are ways that we can work together instead of going solo. But I think SB 4, sometime in the future, will be tested in the Supreme Court like Arizona did in 2010,” Cuellar said.
SB 4:
- Creates state criminal offenses related to illegal entry into Texas outside a port of entry, reentry after removal, and violating a removal order. Offenses vary from misdemeanors to second-degree felonies.
- Provides civil immunity for government officials enforcing immigration provisions in the bill and requires indemnification in some cases.
- Prohibits community supervision or parole for certain illegal entry offenses.
- Requires recording of immigration violation orders and convictions in criminal history databases.
- Prohibits peace officers from enforcing immigration violations at schools, churches, health care facilities, and other sensitive locations.
- Allows magistrates to order the release and removal of persons charged with illegal entry if certain conditions are met.
- Prohibits courts from halting immigration violation prosecutions due to pending federal immigration status determinations.
Abbott has reiterated that Texas has to step up in what he calls President Joe Biden’s absence at the border. Still, Cuellar appeared optimistic there could be more collaboration between state and federal partners.
“I wish that the state and the federal government would work together to stop the drugs and migration,” Cuellar said.
Congressman Tony Gonzales released the following statement to KSAT.
”Cutting off the railways at our border hits Americans where it hurts the most—their pockets. This is all happening because of illegal immigration. Not only is this crisis a danger to our national security—it is also affecting trade, which impacts everyone’s bottom line. Commerce should never be thrown out the window. We must use every tool at our disposal to stop illegal crossings and turn trade back on.”