Today's Article

Andrea Hutchins, the president and CEO of the El Paso 3Chamber of Commerce, says the 4suspension of 5Railway operations in El Paso and Eagle Pass will have a much larger effect beyond border communities. 

"As one of our nation's leading 6ports of country for goods and services, the impact of rail closure is going to not only impact local businesses here in El Paso but also the 7supply chains that El Paso businesses help to connect to." 

On Sunday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced railway operations would be suspended beginning Monday at 08:00 a.m. in El Paso and in Eagle Pass due to the increase of migrant arrivals and agents being 8redirected to process the migrants. The federal agency statement read, in part "After 9observing a recent 10resurgence of 11smuggling organizations moving migrants through Mexico via 12freight trains, 13CBP is taking additional actions to 14surge personnel and address this concerning development, including in partnership with Mexican authorities." 

Jon Barela, president and CEO of the Borderplex Alliance, expressed frustration at 15international commerce being impacted yet again due to the lack of immigration reform on a federal level. 

"We've been through this before and once again international commerce is being affected, jobs are being affected and hundreds of millions of dollars are being lost because of federal 16inactivity on this crucial subject." 

Barela adds studies 17indicate that for every delay of commerce between the U.S. and Mexico, American businesses lose $1 million per minute.