US Authorities Closing Mexico Bridges Due to Immigration, Also Impacting Rail Freight
- December 20, 2023
Two key Mexico (MX) rail gateways have been shut down in Texas, causing cross-border freight to stack up. These bridges have been closed by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) due to illegal immigration concerns, citing evidence that freighters are being used to transport immigrants into the United States.
The border crossings currently impacted are Eagle Pass and El Paso—which are No. 2 and No. 3 by processing volume, respectively. Currently, over 60 trains are halted South of the border, accounting for over 400,000 tons of cargo stranded with the Christmas week ahead.
The closure is expected to be temporary, but these crossings account for 45% of all MX-US border traffic. The last closure due to immigration concerns lasted four days in September, so the issue may be resolved quickly this time around, as well. However, the cargo will continue to accumulate during the investigation.
We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as they become available. Please contact your Shapiro Representative should you have any questions.