The White House slammed Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday for ordering “unnecessary and redundant” inspections at the southern border in the wake of President Biden’s decision to lift a pandemic-era order that turned back migrants.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said a bottleneck at land-entry points will cause economic havoc.
The inspections are “causing significant disruptions to the food and automobile supply chains, delaying manufacturing, impacting jobs, and raising prices for families in Texas and across the country,” Ms. Psaki said. “Local businesses and trade associations are calling on Governor Abbott to reverse this decision because trucks are facing lengthy delays exceeding five hours at some border crossings and commercial traffic has dropped by as much as 60%.”
Mexican truckers have protested the inspections with blockades at the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge, causing further disruptions.
Mr. Abbott, a Republican, said that trucks can be used to smuggle humans and drugs and that he needed to stiffen checks after Mr. Biden lifted the Title 42 order that rejected many migrants at the border.
The enhanced inspections for commercial traffic were just one of Mr. Abbott’s jabs at the administration’s decision on Title 42. The headline-grabber was Mr. Abbott’s plan to ship to Washington illegal immigrants released in Texas by Homeland Security.
Attention returned to the border inspections as delays came into focus and trade groups accused the governor of ordering inspections that aren’t needed because U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducts inspections.
“The continuous flow of legitimate trade and travel and CBP’s ability to do its job should not be obstructed,” Ms. Psaki said. “Governor Abbott’s actions are impacting people’s jobs, and the livelihoods of hardworking American families.”
• Stephen Dinan contributed to this story.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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