Expelled migrants blamed for Paso Del Norte bridge closure

EL PASO, Texas -- A large group of recently expelled migrants that gathered near one of the international crossings from Juarez into El Paso prompted authorities to shut it down for about an hour Wednesday afternoon.

The closure of the Paso Del Norte bridge between about 1 and 2 p.m. was caused by "a security risk for a group incursion," said U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman Roger Maier.

"CBP officers deployed barriers to prevent any large scale illegal entry attempts," Maier explained. He said once the group dispersed, the barricades were removed and the processing of bridge traffic across the U.S.-Mexico border resumed.