Washington D.C. – In a bipartisan effort, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.), the Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, joined Senator Pete Ricketts (R-Nebr.) and six Republican colleagues in urging the Biden Administration to reopen railway commerce at the southern border. The senators emphasized the need for robust policy changes to address the escalating national security, humanitarian, and economic crisis at the border.
The call for action comes in response to the recent closure of the Eagle Pass and El Paso railway crossings by the Administration to process migrants entering the United States illegally. The closures were implemented earlier this week, prompting concerns over the economic impact, with an estimated daily cost to the U.S. economy of $200 million. Union Pacific Railroad, covering 23 states, highlighted that the closed railway gateways represent 45% of its cross-border transit, urging the Biden Administration to swiftly reopen these crucial crossings.
Senator Britt expressed frustration with the Administration’s approach, stating, “The continued refusal by this Administration to enact strong policies at the border is reckless, unsustainable, and intolerable. This is a national security, humanitarian, and economic crisis of President Biden’s own making, and he continues to show no real signs of wanting to reverse course.”
The senators’ letter led to a response from Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which announced the reopening of the rail crossings on Friday afternoon. The senators underscored the urgency of addressing the border crisis, emphasizing the economic consequences and the need for effective policies.
Illegal border encounters are on track to surpass 300,000 this month, setting a new record. Senator Ricketts criticized President Biden’s handling of the situation, stating, “It’s unacceptable that American consumers and businesses will pay the price for Biden’s incompetence.”
The letter, signed by Senators Britt, Ricketts, John Cornyn (R-Texas), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), Roger Marshall (R-Kans.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Jerry Moran (R-Kans.), and Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), expressed serious concern about CBP’s suspension of international railway crossings in Eagle Pass and El Paso. They highlighted the impact on carriers’ ability to move goods and the disruptions to the supply chain.
The letter concluded by urging Secretary Mayorkas to reopen the rail ports of entry and to engage with Congress in enacting meaningful policy changes to address the multifaceted challenges at the southern border.
