Eagle Pass City Council Approves Controversial International Bridge Fare Increase Under Local Declaration Disaster Due to a Public Health Emergency
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2020
The City of Eagle Pass, Texas City Council unanimously approved a controversial international bridge fare increase resolution under a local declaration of disaster due to a public health emergency at a special meeting held on Tuesday, August 25, 2020.
The Eagle Pass City Council increased the international bridge fare for vehicles up to three-quarter ton from $3.50 to $5 per vehicle and the pedestrian fare from 50 cents to $1 per person effective “immediately” on Wednesday, August 26, 2020 at 12 a.m. on a temporary basis until the U.S. Department of Homeland Security non-essential and essential travel restrictions between U.S.-Mexico are in effect as a measure in order “to deter non-essential traffic from crossing back and forth to Mexico and assist in the containment of the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the City of Eagle Pass International Bridge System Facebook Page.
Eagle Pass Mayor Luis E. Sifuentes stated at the August 25, 2020 special meeting that “this item was put on the agenda after discussions with CBP Port Director Paul Del Rincon and further discussions today with [Piedras Negras] Presidente Municipal Claudio Bres Garza. The operations at the bridge right now are from the government and its coming down from Washington, D.C. [under] soon to be Secretary of Homeland Security [Chad] Wolf. There are putting more restrictions even on American citizens coming back. They really want to restrict the flow of traffic into Mexico from our U.S. citizens.”
Mayor Sifuentes added that “what we’ve seen even through this pandemic U.S. citizens continue to cross. While the numbers are not what we normally see them because the Mexican Nationals are not crossing, they are still seeing a lot of people, there’s a big fear that there’s of a lot of contamination from back and forth. That’s why they are putting restrictions on and the restrictions say if you go to Mexico for non-essential things….you are going to go through the non-essential lane. That’s where traffic is gonna start backing up….There is a big push from the government side over here and the concern of Claudio Bres that traffic is backed up.”
Sifuentes noted that during discussions with Eagle Pass CBP Port Director Paul Del Rincon and Piedras Negras Mayor Claudio Bres Garza on what could be done to decrease the flow of traffic of Americans crossing into Mexico, they discussed the possibility of increasing the international bridge fares to discourage Americans from traveling into Mexico for non-essential matters.
Sifuentes cited that a survey done by CBP in Eagle Pass found that 85% of travelers returning to the United States had crossed into Mexico for non-essential matters like eating at restaurants in Piedras Negras.
Sifuentes stated that the international bridge fare increases were designed for the purpose to keep American citizens from crossing into Mexico for non-essential reasons. Sifuentes added that the international bridge fare for vehicles would go from $3.50 to $5 per vehicle and the pedestrian fare would go up from 50 cents to $1 per person. Sifuentes noted that these increased international bridge fares would be in effect until the United States government lifts the temporary non-essential travel restrictions between U.S.-Mexico border.
Sifuentes did not provide the City Council with any public health statistics concerning the increase of transmission of COVID-19 infections from American citizens crossing into Mexico for non-essential purposes and returning back into the United States. Instead, Sifuentes cited the traffic flow study done by CBP Port Director Paul Del Rincon that showed a reduction of 20 percent of traffic flow after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security implemented further non-essential and essential traffic restrictions on August 21, 2020 that established designating certain lanes of traffic at the international bridges for travelers returning to the United States based on whether the purpose of their trip was for non-essential or essential matters, which caused long delays and lines of traffic stretching from the bridges into Mexican cities and impacting their municipal traffic flows.
The City of Eagle Pass Finance Director Jesus Rodriguez has previously stated that the City loses approximately $600,000 per month in international bridge revenues since President Donald J. Trump imposed the non-essential and essential travel restrictions between U.S.-Mexico in March 20, 2020, which are still in effect. With the new travel restrictions imposed by U.S. Department of Homeland Acting Secretary Chad Wolf on August 21, 2020, the CBP study done in Eagle Pass showed a further 20% reduction of traffic flow, increasing the financial losses of the City of Eagle Pass. The City of Eagle Pass received up to $11 Million last year from its international bridge revenues, almost 40% of its fiscal year budget. Any further reduction of traffic flow will decrease its bridge revenues.
Mayor Sifuentes noted that this request came from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security in Washington, D.C., specifically mentioning Acting Secretary Chad Wolf as the soon to be Secretary Chad Wolf. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) on August 14, 2020 found that DHS Acting Secretary Chad Wolf and Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli were illegally appointed by President Donald J. Trump in violation of the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, referring the matter to the DHS Inspector General for investigation. Since the GAO finding, President Trump has stated that he intends to forward the nomination of DHS Acting Secretary Chad Wolf to the U.S. Senate for confirmation as Secretary of DHS.
The City of Eagle Pass becomes the first U.S.-Mexico border city to approve this controversial international bridge fare increase measure requested by DHS to restrict Americans from doing non-essential travel into Mexico and returning to the United States as a COVID-19 pandemic declaration of disaster due to a public health emergency.
City Councilwoman Yolanda P. Ramon made the motion to approve the international bridge fare increases and Mayor Pro-Tem William Davis seconded the motion. City Attorney Humberto Morales pointed out to the City Council that they were approving this resolution to increase the bridge fares based on the “health, safety, and welfare” of citizens in order to justify the declaration of disaster due to a public health emergency. The motion passed unanimously.
One local citizen questioned whether the City of Eagle Pass might be violating the State of Texas Declaration of Disaster Powers granted to municipalities under the Texas Health and Safety Code and Governor Greg Abbott’s Declaration of Disaster in March 2020, potentially jeopardizing the legality of the temporary international bridge fare increase approved at the August 25, 2020 special meeting.
Reaction from both Eagle Pass and Piedras Negras citizens who commute daily and use the two Eagle Pass International bridges was swift on social media with a majority opposing the controversial bridge fee increase while a minority expressed support of the measure. Laura Jimenez stated “this is absolutely stupid. It’s not to deter travel, it’s to make up for the lack of funds due to travel restrictions and to help balance the budget. Shame on you for doing this. You are only hurting working people who your bridge system depends on.” Oscar De La Garza stated “using COVID-19 as an excuse for hidden taxation without representation.” Isela Alvarez stated “a lot of people just don’t understand the severity of the situation. And I am sure that is a way of somewhat controlling it. Thank you, Mr. Sifuentes.”
