Queues of trucks, stretching on for miles. Traffic jams lasting 12 hours, or even longer. These were scenes from near a major US-Mexico trade point in Texas on April 12.
New rules imposed by Texas Governor led to protests by Mexican truckers. They reportedly blocked the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge, leading to huge queues of trucks waiting to cross the border.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott reportedly ordered "enhanced safety inspections" of commercial trucks at border ports. These were aimed at curtailing the "flow of drugs, human traffickers, illegal immigrants, weapons, and other contraband" into Texas, as per the Governor's office. Illegal immigration from America's southern neighbours has been one of the major issues traditionally raised by the Republican party, to which Abbott belongs.
Mexico reportedly claimed that the new rules are hurting trade with the US, with cross-border traffic falling to a third of normal levels.
Meanwhile, Governor Abbott tweeted images of the Texas National Guard conducting "mass migration drills in preparation for an influx of illegal immigrants crossing the southern border." Abbot said that this was after his directive to "bolster state's border security efforts in the wake of the Biden Administration revoking Title 42."