Union Pacific and BNSF railroads urged U.S. Customs and Border Protection on Monday to reopen the vital rail bridge crossings at Eagle Pass, Texas, and El Paso, Texas, after the agency shut the gateway due to heightened immigration activity.
A week before Christmas, the two railroads stressed the need to reopen the crossings to allow for the seamless movement of goods. The corridors represent 45% of cross-border Union Pacific business and include goods critical to the U.S. economy, the railroad said in a statement, adding “there isn’t enough capacity at our other four gateways to reroute them.”
U.S. Customs announced Sunday it would temporarily suspend operations at the international railway crossing bridges in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas at 6 a.m. EST Monday, following a resurgence of smuggling organizations moving migrants through Mexico via freight trains. The agency, in cooperation with Mexican authorities, is assisting the U.S. Border Patrol in taking migrants into custody.
“We continue to adjust our operational plans to maximize enforcement efforts against those noncitizens who do not use lawful pathways or processes such as CBP One and those without a legal basis to remain in the United States,” U.S. Customs said in a statement. The agency did not say when the Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas border crossings would reopen.
For each day the border is closed, Union Pacific said it is forced to embargo customers’ goods on more than 60 trains, or nearly 4,500 rail cars. The railroad added it is doing what it can to stage trains and work with customers to prevent congestion at the border.
“The longer this closure is in effect, the more difficult it will be for cross-border trade to resume,” the railroad said in a statement.
Rail transports 64% of grain and oilseed exports to Mexico. A shutdown of freight lead to feed shortages for livestock operations, according to the National Grain and Feed Association.
“The closure of these two crossings is impacting the flow of grain and oilseeds for both human and livestock feed to one of the United States most important export markets and trading partners,” the group said in a joint statement with the North American Export Grain Association.
Customs officials have made several operational adjustments to respond to heightened border crossing activity in recent weeks, including closing vehicle and pedestrian crossings.
Vehicle processing was suspended on Nov. 27 at Eagle Pass and at Eagle Pass International Bridge 1, according to customs officials. The Cal San Ysidro’s Pedestrian West crossing in San Diego, California, closed on Dec. 9 and the Lukeville Port of Entry in Lukeville, Arizona, closed on Dec. 4.
Sarah Zimmerman contributed to this story.
