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Opinion: Don’t block legitimate train commerce as response to migrant crisis [1]

['Special To El Paso Matters', 'El Paso Matters']

Date: 2023-12-21

By Andrea Hutchins

U.S.-Mexico train interchanges in El Paso and Eagle Pass ground to a halt on Monday as Customs and Border Protection reassigned rail inspector agents to migrant processing operations, citing concerns about migrants riding trains in southern Mexico. While CBP utilizes advanced technology, including gamma-ray imaging, to detect individuals or contraband on trains crossing rail bridges, the minimal number of undocumented migrants attempting entry via freight trains can be efficiently addressed by CBP agents.

Andrea Hutchins

The decision to suspend train inspections at the border, affecting 10,000 rail cars transporting crucial goods, reflects a recurring pattern of knee-jerk reactions that impede international trade without achieving the primary goal of preventing illegal entry into the United States. CBP agents, equipped with cutting-edge technology, are adept at handling border security issues related to train travel. However, the immediate and complete halting of trade has proven to be more detrimental than effective.

This marks the second instance within a brief period that CBP has closed international rail bridges, signaling not just a bureaucratic hiccup but an economic catastrophe. It underscores the urgency for Congress to act on bipartisan legislation addressing immigration reform and border security.

While long-term investment in technology is necessary, the short-term strategy of holding trade hostage is counterproductive. These issues will persist until Congress takes decisive action.

As we witness the El Paso border closure crisis unfold, it is disheartening to see Congress once again on another break while crucial business remains unfinished. The closure’s impact on cross-border trade cannot be understated, affecting businesses, communities, and the economy at large.

While acknowledging the importance of processing migrants at the border from a humanitarian standpoint, it is imperative to underscore that better plans and technology must be implemented to address both migration challenges and facilitate commerce.

Stopping commerce should not be our default solution to border issues.

Congress must prioritize the swift implementation of comprehensive, technologically advanced solutions that safeguard both our economic interests and humanitarian values. The recurring pattern of congressional inaction coupled with border closures is a stark reminder that our representatives need to act decisively and responsibly to ensure the prosperity and well-being of our nation.

It is imperative for businesses and community members to be vocal in urging Congress to address these challenges. Without their voices, such actions are likely to become the status quo.

Americans appear to be becoming numb to the crisis at the border. We cannot allow that to happen. We need to emphasize that these disruptions will persist. When people wonder why the cost of goods continues to rise, they may not realize that the crisis at the border impacts their pocketbooks unless we remind them.

Until bipartisan efforts result in comprehensive immigration reform and border security measures, we must continue to remind the nation that this is not simply a border issue but one that has wide-reaching impacts on supply chains, jobs, and, ultimately, the cost of goods across the country. Members of the business community must unite in a collective voice, emphasizing the need for practical, effective solutions that secure our borders without compromising essential trade activities.

It is only through sustained advocacy that we can compel Congress to act and safeguard the interests of our economy and communities.

Andrea Hutchins is president and CEO of the El Paso Chamber.

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[1] Url: https://elpasomatters.org/2023/12/21/opinion-cbp-stopping-train-inspections-hurts-consumers/

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