US Customs and Border Protection Halts Railway Operations in Eagle Pass and El Paso to Address Migrant Influx

The US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is temporarily suspending international railway crossings in Eagle Pass and El Paso to redirect personnel for processing an influx of migrants. CBP apprehended nearly 3,000 migrants in Eagle Pass and around 1,300 in El Paso over the weekend. The suspension of rail crossings is a response to smuggling organizations moving migrants through Mexico via freight trains. This comes as CBP has already suspended vehicle processing at Eagle Pass International Bridge 1 and operations at other ports of entry due to overwhelming numbers of migrants. The Biden administration is negotiating with Senate Republicans over immigration restrictions, while Texas Governor Abbott is expected to sign a controversial bill allowing the arrest of migrants crossing between ports of entry.