Delays in Cargo Processing as Border Agents at El Paso’s BOTA Diverted to Process Wave of Illegal Immigrants

The Texas city of Eagle Pass has announced a state of emergency due to being overwhelmed by a ’severe undocumented immigrant surge.’

Drivers line up at the Cordova-Americas international bridge in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua state, Mexico, as U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents in El Paso, Texas, partially closed the lanes, delaying the crossing of vehicles on March 31, 2019. Photo by HERIKA MARTINEZ/AFP via Getty Images

Cargo processing operations at an El Paso port of entry had to be temporarily suspended earlier this week, impacting trade across one of the busiest border ports due to the influx of illegal immigrants at Eagle Pass.

According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), personnel had to be diverted from processing cargo due to a need to assist in “processing noncitizens,” following a recent heavy influx of illegal immigrants from across the border.