Juarez not ready for commercial truck ban at BOTA
EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) – Juarez Mayor Cruz Perez Cuellar says his city is not ready for a proposed U.S. ban on commercial trucks at El Paso's Bridge of the Americas port of entry (BOTA).
'Everybody in Juarez understands that it is not our decision; it's a decision the U.S. has to make,' Perez Cuellar said at a Wednesday luncheon of the Central Business Association at the El Paso Civic Center. 'But at some meetings they have asked for our opinion. Our opinion is we are not ready. I think both communities … we're not ready for the closure of BOTA to commercial trailers.'
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The U.S. General Services Administration is managing a planned $650 million modernization of the port of entry between El Paso and Juarez and is leaning toward a permanent ban on trailers primarily coming from maquiladora assembly plants south of the border.
The moves comes after years of complaints from residents of neighborhoods near the port in South-Central El Paso about pollution and traffic. Those complaints lately have found a friendly ear among local elected officials.
Trump still brings jitters to leaders south of border
But ports of entry field traffic from both sides of the border and generally address needs and interests in both.
Perez Cuellar said he, too, would like to see heavy truck traffic sent away from residential neighborhoods. But he said his city does not have the roadways to do that and industry leaders are not ready to send their trucks on a long roundabout to alternate crossings in Tornillo, Texas, and Santa Teresa, New Mexico.
'I think it would be great for Juarez when all the commercial vehicles go (there) because it would give us a break with the traffic. But we don't have the infrastructure right now to do that,' Perez Cuellar said.
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He said Juarez is asking the Mexican federal government for a major investment in public works to route trucks from dozens of industrial parks in central and east Juarez to Tornillo. Right now, most of the factories in those industrial parks have well-established routes to BOTA and to the Ysleta Port of Entry they consider crucial to getting merchandise into the United States as soon as possible.
Truckers have told Border Report they rely on BOTA for a speedy return trip of empty containers from El Paso to Juarez that allows their companies to send a second and even a third shipment across the same day.
'We are not saying that shouldn't happen. We're just saying to be careful and enact legislation or do things in a way that all of the parties involved have a say,' said Tanny Berg, founding member of the Central Business Association.
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He said there have been 'very little studies' to show the environmental impact of the proposed truck ban. This, in the context that thousands of passenger vehicles moving at a snail's pace would continue using the port of entry daily.
'We are not that opposed to closing the bridge when the infrastructure is ready,' Berg said. 'The roads to connect where the maquilas are to Tornillo and Santa Teresa are not ready yet. All we are saying is give us a little bit more time, make sure we don't turn off the maquiladora industry which is feeding the economy of our area. But we want to be mindful of the un-attainment we're having with carbon monoxide.'
Border business leaders show unity amid threats of tariffs, trade pact review
A group of concerned residents calling itself Familias Unidas del Chamizal in December held a vigil after the Mexican government sent a diplomatic note to the U.S. State Department raising concern over the possible truck ban.
'The environmental justice issues plaguing our neighborhood demand urgent attention,' the group said in an email last month. 'The health impacts of these mobile sources of pollution are damaging the environment, our Earth, and the health of the community, especially our children.'
Visit the BorderReport.com homepage for the latest exclusive stories and breaking news about issues along the U.S.-Mexico border
El Paso City Council member Ivan Niño said El Paso is an important cog in the U.S. economy because of international trade. He called for dialogue between all parties and for government agencies to 'make sure all the infrastructure is there.'
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Los Angeles' image is scuffed since ICE raids and protests
LOS ANGELES -- This isn't the image Los Angeles wanted projected around the globe. Clouds of tear gas wafting over a throng of protesters on a blocked freeway. Federal immigration agents in tactical garb raiding businesses in search of immigrants without legal status. A messy war of words between President Donald Trump and Gov. Gavin Newsom. Photos captured several Waymo robotaxis set on fire and graffiti scrawled on a federal detention center building, while videos recorded the sounds of rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades hitting crowds. In a city still reeling from January's deadly wildfires — and with the World Cup soccer championships and the 2028 Olympics on the horizon — Mayor Karen Bass has been urging residents to come together to revitalize LA's image by sprucing up streets, planting trees and painting murals so LA shows its best face to nations near and far. 'It's about pride,' she's said. 'This is the city of dreams.' Instead, a less flattering side of Los Angeles has been broadcast to the world in recent days. Protests have mostly taken place in a small swath of downtown in the sprawling city of 4 million people. As Trump has activated nearly 5,000 troops to respond in the city, Bass has staunchly pushed back against his assertions that her city is overrun and in crisis. Bass, in response to Trump, said she was troubled by depictions that the city has been 'invaded and occupied by illegal aliens and criminals, and that now violent, insurrectionist mobs are swarming our federal agents. I don't know if anybody has seen that happen, but I've not seen that happen.' The series of protests began Friday outside a federal detention center, where demonstrators demanded the release of more than 40 people arrested by federal immigration authorities. Immigration advocates say the people who were detained do not have criminal histories and are being denied their due process rights. 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Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
MAGA Supporters Counter Anti-ICE Protests: 'Go Back to Mexico'
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Several Donald Trump supporters in Tampa, Florida, have started counter-protests to anti-ICE, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, demonstrations. Video footage posted on X, formerly Twitter, shows a man holding a red "MAGA country" flag chanting "we want ICE" and telling a woman holding a Mexican flag: "If you love Mexico, go back to Mexico." In another clip, a group of men can be seen holding a Trump-Vance banner, before move for a truck coming through. Hundreds gathered outside Tampa's City Hall to protest on Monday, after a weekend of violent clashes between anti-ICE demonstrators and law enforcement. Police intervened during some heated moments between anti-ICE protesters and counter-protesters but there was no violence, according to Tampa broadcaster FOX13. This is a developing story - more to follow.

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President Donald Trump pushes ahead with his maximalist immigration campaign in face of LA protests
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