Gov. Abbott eases truck inspections at Colombia-International border bridge
LAREDO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — After a week of massive delays on the Colombia-Solidarity commercial border crossing near Laredo, Governor Greg Abbott repealed his recent order to inspect all trucks coming into the state.
In a press conference Wednesday, Gov. Abbott was joined by Nuevo Leon Governor Samuel Garcia, who agreed to inspect the trucks on his side of the border for human and drug smuggling in exchange for DPS officials scaling down their efforts — which caused a nightmarish choke-point for imports.
Gov. Abbott called the agreement that was brokered "historic."
He says the inspections were necessary because the Biden Administration wasn't doing more to deter human smuggling at the border.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki addressed that criticism.
"These unnecessary inspections of trucks transport, transiting ports of entry between Texas and Mexico are significant delays, which are resulting in a drop in commercial traffic of up to 60 to 70% in some ports, and that is significantly impacting the local and regional supply chains," Psaki said.
Gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke said in a statement that the governor's plan is "crushing businesses, raising prices for Texans, causing supply chain delays, and hurting the economy of our state and this country."
CBS 11's Ken Molestina asked Gov. Abbott about the economic concern.
MOLESTINA: "What do you say to business owners and to consumers who say they have directly been hit by your efforts to make a point?"
GOV. ABBOTT: "The same people who have suffered a few hours of delay, they've been shouting for the past 15 months to the Biden Administration, 'Do not open those borders.' They've been demanding the Biden Administration, 'Keep the Title 42 expulsions in their place."
The governor reiterated that while the bridge is back to normal, six others are still backlogged. He says he doesn't plan to back down until other Mexican governors strike a similar to deal to the one with Nuevo Leon.
Officials within the Texas Governor's Office have since told CBS 11 News that governors from other Mexican states have already reached out in an attempt to sign their own Memorandum of understanding to alleviate their backlogs.
WATCH THE FULL PRESS CONFERENCE BELOW:
