Texas Stops Truck Inspections At Mexico Border After White House Blame Over Supply Chain Delay

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has stopped truck inspection at the U.S.-Mexico border after the White House claimed that his unnecessary measures were fueling inflation by holding up an already beleaguered supply chain.

Under Abbot’s order, for the past week, Texas security forces have been conducting safety checks on commercial vehicles driving into the state from across the border to prevent human trafficking and the flow of drugs.

The truck drivers protested by blocking key points of entry, bringing international traffic and trade to a halt.

This was in addition to safety inspections on trucks by federal authorities. The twin inspection protocol is delaying goods from Mexico and causing gridlock at ports that handle $400 billion in annual trade.

Local businesses and trade associations had urged Governor Abbott to reverse his decision, because trucks are facing lengthy delays exceeding 5 hours at some border crossings and commercial traffic has dropped by about 60 percent.

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki issued a strong statement condemning the Republican Governor’s action.

“Governor Abbott’s unnecessary and redundant inspections of trucks transiting ports of entry between Texas and Mexico 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,” she said.

“The continuous flow of legitimate trade and travel and CBP’s ability to do its job should not be obstructed. Governor Abbott’s actions are impacting people’s jobs, and the livelihoods of hardworking American families,” the statement added.

In a letter to Abbott, Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller said his policy will “hurt Texas and American consumers by driving up already skyrocketing food prices, worsening ongoing supply chain disruptions, causing massive produce shortages, and saddling Texas and American companies with untold losses.”

Abbott stopped truck inspection at the key border crossing of Laredo-Colombia bridge late Wednesday.

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