Business leaders in Juarez pressure federal government to change migration policies

JUAREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Business leaders in Juárez have called on the Mexican federal government to find a different way to deal with the recent migrant surges.

U.S. CBP recently decided to shut down rail crossings in El Paso and Eagle Pass. This has slowed business along the border. Several local stake holders have since voiced their displeasure at the measure.

"These suspensions of rail operations that CBP is conducting harms competitiveness along the border," said Thor Salayandía, national vice president of maquiladoras.

Salayandía also said, despite Juárez seeing a lower percentage of cargo crossing in trains compared with commercial trucks, the suspension is still causing issues.

He explained that few Juarez maquiladoras and businesses use the trains as a way of exporting merchandise to the U.S., but there are a lot of heavy products coming from southern Mexico that cannot be shifted to trucks.

In 2022, Juárez passed approximately $4 million in train exports and another $4 million in train imports.

Truck exports, meanwhile, represented just under $79 million in revenue in Juarez last year.

The National Chamber of Commerce in Juarez is expected to speak about the current situation in Juarez.

ABC-7 will have more updates in our evening newscasts.