Used cars piling up near Tornillo Port of Entry, residents upset

The Mexican government recently adopted new regulations restricting the number of used cars that can be exported from the Unites States into Mexico.

As a result, ABC-7 has learned, there is a long line of used cars ready for exportation on the American side of the Tornillo Port of Entry.

Residents say the parked cars are affecting Pecan farm businesses and drivers are loitering at their properties. Some even say they’ve seen drivers brawl for a place in line.

“This is terribly unfortunate situation that’s unacceptable,” Precinct 3 County Commissioner Vince Perez said of the more than 2,000 junked and used cars that are parked along roads near the Tornillo port of entry.

The bridge was recently selected by Mexican officials as the port in the El Paso region that accepts the importation of vehicles.

“A few weeks ago the line wasn’t this long and it’s just continued to grow as more and more exporters or importers come in and line up their vehicles,” Perez said.

To make the situation worse, policy change by the Mexican government is only allowing 85 cars through a day.

A few weeks back, businessmen protested the move and blocked the Bridge of the Americas port of entry.

As a result of the policy changes cars are lined up for miles.

Some “2,400 cars are lined up it’s going to take a month to cross,” Perez said.

The Tornillo port of entry is the only port in the state of Texas that’s located outside of a city. The area around the port falls under the county’s responsibility.

“We’re governed by the state. We don’t have ordinance-making authority like cities do. While we do have the authority to create no parking areas on county roads we don’t have the same scope of authority like cities do,” Perez said.

The situation is also costing taxpayers money by requiring more sheriff deputies in the areas near the port.

“As the importation of vehicles begins at 9 in the morning there are literally hundreds of people clamoring to the front of the line and there’s about five units out here every morning. It’s very difficult for them to maintain order,” Perez said.

Along with safety and traffic concerns there’s also an environmental impact.

“A lot of these cars are leaking oil and radiator, fluid transmission fluid which is contaminating the ground they park on,” Perez told ABC-7.

Perez says county commissioners will be holding a special meeting Thursday to address the issue and get some no parking signs in the area. The signs could go up in a few weeks if the item is passed but Perez says this is a far more complicated issue because dealers will just find somewhere else to park.

Perez says the county, the state and Mexican authorities will have to find a long-term solution for this problem.