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The United States has temporarily closed two key rail bridges connecting Texas and Mexico due to an increase in migrant smuggling through trains.
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced these closures at the Eagle Pass and El Paso international railway crossings to better manage the recent spike in migrant movements and redirect enforcement personnel.
In a statement, CBP explained their rationale behind the closures, stating, “CBP is continuing to surge all available resources to safely process migrants in response to increased levels of migrant encounters at the Southwest Border, fueled by smugglers peddling disinformation to prey on vulnerable individuals. After observing a recent resurgence of smuggling organizations moving migrants through Mexico via freight trains, CBP is taking additional actions to surge personnel and address this concerning development, including in partnership with Mexican authorities.”
This decision follows a pattern of similar temporary closures at various points along the US-Mexico border, including the Lukeville port of entry in Arizona and a vehicle crossing in Eagle Pass. Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs responded by deploying National Guard troops to the border.