Feds are forced to shut down southern border bridges over massive immigration surge
The situation at the U.S.-Mexico border has taken a more dramatic turn for the worse, with tens of thousands of immigrants crossing the Rio Grande and entering the United States illegally.
So much so that even the Biden administration has been forced to act, prompting authorities to shut down railroad crossings in Eagle Pass and El Paso, further exacerbating the current border crisis.
@BillMelugin
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the federal agency responsible for border security, made the decision to temporarily suspend operations at the international railway crossing bridges in order to redirect personnel to assist the overwhelmed Border Patrol in taking migrants into custody. This move has drawn the anger of both Democratic and Republican lawmakers representing these border communities in Congress.
CBP, in a statement released late Sunday, explained that they are witnessing a resurgence of smuggling organizations using freight trains to transport migrants through Mexico.
The numbers speak for themselves.
According to federal data provided by Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX), Border Patrol agents in the Eagle Pass/Del Rio area of Texas apprehended 2,638 illegal immigrants on Sunday alone. Of these, 2,583 individuals were apprehended and processed in Eagle Pass. The majority of those arrested were from Venezuela, followed by Honduran and Guatemalan citizens.
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The situation is dire and has the potential to disrupt holiday operations with Christmas just one week away. Overcrowding at regional facilities and tents has forced Border Patrol agents to detain immigrants under bridges or in fields, as evidenced by a video shared by a Border Patrol agent based in Eagle Pass.
Federal employees on the ground have been vocal in saying that this is not how our immigration system should operate.
Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX), just east of Gonzales's district, has called for President Joe Biden and Congress to "secure the border now."