Truck drivers are reporting staggering wait times at a south Texas border crossing after officials reportedly ordered that every single truck must be inspected by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).
The Border Report states that between Tuesday, May 2, and Sunday, May 7, Texas DPS is conducting “100% enforcement inspections” on commercial vehicles on Veterans International Bridge in Brownsville, Texas.
The report states that some truck drivers have waited as many as 24 hours to cross the bridge and that miles-long backups are taking place due to the increased inspections.
U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar told Border Report, “It’s all show because they cannot open the trucks. They can only check for brakes, they can only check for windshield wipers and stuff. They cannot open the trailers, the cargo trailers. So it’s all for show, but I guess they want to delay to send a message to the Mexicans.”
In April 2022, a similar 100% truck inspection enforcement effort was conducted on the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge in Pharr, Texas in response to the Biden Administration plans to end Title 42, a COVID-19 border restriction policy. Officials said that this three day inspection effort resulted in total trade losses of $1 billion and resulted in Mexican truckers forming a blockade in protest.
Title 42 is currently slated to end May 11, 2023.