A delegation of top U.S. officials is set to visit Mexico for discussions on immigration enforcement at the shared border. This visit is part of broader negotiations involving U.S. assistance for Ukraine and Israel and coincides with border policy debates between Republican and Democratic lawmakers.
Context of the Visit: The visit follows the controversial closure of two rail crossings in Texas, a decision U.S. officials say was due to the need for more personnel to handle the surge in illegal border crossings. Mexican businesses have expressed concerns about the impact on trade due to these closures.
Biden and López Obrador’s Discussion: President Joe Biden and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador agreed on the necessity of additional border enforcement for reopening the crossings. White House national security spokesman John Kirby stated that Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, and White House homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall are scheduled to meet with López Obrador to discuss collaborative efforts to manage migratory flows.
Economic Impact of Rail Crossing Closures: Mexican companies are urgently calling for the reopening of the border crossings. The closure, particularly in Eagle Pass and El Paso, Texas, has reportedly caused daily losses of $100 million in delayed shipments. Critical goods like corn, soy products, auto parts, and automobiles, which are typically transported by rail, are significantly affected.
Migration Policy Challenges: U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) justified the closures as a strategy to redirect personnel to assist with migrant apprehensions. The agency also indicated a desire for Mexico to intensify its crackdown on migrants using railcars to reach the U.S. border. The CBP noted a resurgence in smuggling organizations moving migrants through Mexico via freight trains, necessitating these additional actions.
Other Border Closures: In response to the migrant influx, other border points like the Lukeville, Arizona crossing and a pedestrian entry in San Diego have also been closed. Illegal crossings at the U.S. southwestern border have reached unusually high levels in December, with over 10,000 crossings on some days.
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