WASHINGTON – Border Trade Alliance President Ms. Britton Mullen released the following statement regarding the announcement by the Department of Homeland Security that rail crossings at Eagle Pass, Texas and El Paso, Texas would be closed indefinitely beginning today:

“The Department of Homeland Security in the last few weeks has closed an international bridge in Eagle Pass, Texas, a land port of entry in Lukeville, Ariz., and a pedestrian crossing in San Ysidro, Calif. Today’s railway crossing closures make a bad situation worse, inflicting even more economic harm on the U.S.-Mexico relationship and driving up costs.

“The cross-border trade community has acknowledged the difficult challenge facing DHS as it confronts a significant spike in migrants at the border, but closing a border crossing is never the answer. The Biden administration must reopen these ports of entry right away.

“These port closures are a byproduct of Congress and the administration’s failure to adopt a border security and immigration reform package that can balance our economic and physical security. The public and private stakeholders whose livelihoods depend on a well-managed, well-resourced, and secure border have waited long enough.”

Since 1986, the BTA has served as a grassroots, non-profit organization that provides a forum for discussion and advocacy on issues pertaining to border development and quality of life and trade in the Americas. A network of public and private sector representatives from the United States, Mexico and Canada, BTA’s core values include a commitment to improving the quality of life of border communities through trade and commerce. The BTA is online at thebta.org and @borderalliance.

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