Texas repealed the law that ordered inspections of Mexican trucks

Texas Governor Greg Abbott overturned the cargo truck inspection order that obstructed the traffic of commercial vehicles on the U.S.-Mexico border, after a week of heavy repercussions and fears of severe economic losses.

The Republican governor abandoned his regulations requiring that all commercial trucks coming from Mexico undergo additional inspections with the express purpose of curbing the flow of migrants and drugs, a measure that exacerbated his dispute with President Joe Biden's government over immigration policy.

Previously, the governor of Texas signed an agreement with his Tamaulipas counterpart Francisco García Cabeza de Vaca to stop inspections of cargo vehicles at border crossings in the state.

In a statement, Abbott stressed that he has reached agreements with all “neighboring” Mexican governors to stop irregular migration to the United States.

However, he assured that if Mexico does not stop migrants before they reach the Rio Bravo, it will reinstate inspections on all cargo vehicles crossing the border.

“We hope and demand that, on the Mexican side, they finally step forward and stop the (migrant) crossings through the low waters (in the Rio Bravo) and in other ways that allow these illegal migrants to cross the border,” the Texas president announced in an interview with Fox News.

Greg Abbott — who is seeking re-election in November this year — assured that his administration would not care “about the economic consequences of reimplementing unilateral transport inspection on border bridges.

“These governors of entities that are connected to the state of Texas are knocking on our door begging for relief. As they have been begging for relief, we have demanded that they implement security measures that reduce illegal migration that crosses our border,” he said.

For several days now, the Texas government has implemented additional comprehensive reviews of tractor-trucks and buses crossing from Mexico to the United States, on the grounds of strengthening immigration control and border security measures to prevent the illegal trafficking of migrants and drugs.

Some carriers claimed that they had waited more than 20 hours to cross. Others blocked one of the busiest commercial bridges in the world in protest.

The measure imposed by the Texas governor caused millionaire losses. The Mexican private sector estimated losses of up to $8 million a day (USD).

Through a statement signed by the Business Coordinating Council (CCE), the Confederation of Industrial Chambers (Concamin), the National Agricultural Council (CNA), the National Chamber of Freight Transport (CANACAR), the National Association of Private Transport (ANTP) and the National Council of the Maquila and Manufacturing Industry of Export (INDEX); they assured that Abbott's action has generated an economic impact and operating cost overruns, mainly affecting the maquila, automotive, technology and perishable industries, among others.

“A situation that has caused delays of up to 20 hours at the crossing of cargo trucks and the drop of more than 70% in the flow of trade and that can cause a collapse in international trade across borders,” they warned.

“The tightening of these safety inspections is seriously impacting industry, logistics chains and the movement of fresh produce from Mexico to the American Union, as well as generating economic impacts and operating cost overruns in the region with losses of up to $8 million a day, which has a direct impact on consumers, as well as in the productivity and competitiveness of the region”, they stressed in the statement dated 12 April.

With information from AP

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