US Reopens Mexico Rail Crossings After Closure Sought to Stem Illegal Immigration

A freight train crosses the border between Mexico and the United States after a five-day suspension due to U.S. authorities closing railway bridges in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas, in order to redirect personnel to stop an increase in illegal immigration, as seen from Piedras Negras, Cohauila, Mexico, on Dec. 22, 2023. Jose Luis Gonzalez/Reuters

WASHINGTON—The United States on Friday reopened two rail crossings between Texas and Mexico, five days after their closure in response to increased illegal immigrant traffic cut off a key export route.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said operations resumed at 2 p.m. ET at the international railway crossing bridges in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas. The closures had prompted alarm from railroads, the agriculture industry, and some lawmakers over the economic impact to halted export trade.