Eagle Pass International Bridge No. 2 Temporarily Closed Due to Immigrants Rushing into United States Seeking Asylum
By: Ricardo E. Calderon, Eagle Pass Business Journal, Inc., Copyright 2022
The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) temporarily closed the City of Eagle Pass Camino Real International Bridge (Bridge 2) on Tuesday, June 14, 2022 at approximately 5 p.m. as 24 immigrants rushed into the United States border seeking asylum.
The 24 immigrants busted loose from the Mexican Institute of Migration Processing Center in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, located adjacent to the Eagle Pass Camino Real Bridge, and rushed onto the bridge to the U.S.-Mexico international boundary line requesting asylum.
U.S. CBP officers quickly squelched the riot caused by the 24 immigrants at the international boundary line. The 24 immigrants are from Venezuela and were temporarily taken into custody to be processed and subsequently deported back to Mexico.
Traffic at the Eagle Pass Camino Real International Bridge had to be temporarily shut down due to the incident at mid-bridge while CBP and Mexican Institute Migration officers handled the riot and detained the 24 immigrants. International traffic was temporarily routed to Eagle Pass International Bridge No. 1, causing long delays and crossing times. Commercial traffic was temporarily halted due to the incident since all commercial trade passes through the Camino Real International Bridge only.
The City of Eagle Pass International Bridge System announced the incident had temporarily closed the Camino Real Bridge for approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Traffic was restored at the Camino Real International Bridge, but was limited to only one lane traveling each way.
CBP and Mexican authorities have been holding preparedness drills for such incidents at the two international bridges in Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico for over two years.
With reports of a large caravan of immigrants traveling through Mexico whose destiny is both Eagle Pass and Del Rio, Texas, American authorities are preparing for more such riots at the international bridges.
