Borderland residents experience longer wait times at local ports of entry due to holiday shopping, travel
JUÁREZ, Chihuahua (KVIA) -- Binational residents in El Paso and Ciudad Juárez have been reporting longer wait times and lines at all ports of entry to cross into either city.
Last-minute holiday shopping and travel are among the most common reasons more people have been crossing the border recently.
ABC-7 spoke with some residents waiting in line at the Bridge of the Americas, who said they hope to buy what they still need before Christmas this week. Others said they crossed to Juárez to buy groceries for this week's dinners.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection advises all those crossing into the U.S. after buying items in Mexico to always declare to avoid any fines and penalties.
CBP's list of prohibited and restricted items can be found here.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, along with CBP, also has a list of items you can cross into the U.S. for personal use.
The Juárez Road Safety Department (CGSV), or Traffic Police, says they encourage all residents on both sides of the border to always travel with time to spare and to respect all traffic signs and speed limits south of the border. They also advise those crossing from Juárez to El Paso not to cut in line at any port of entry, or they could face a fine of around 4,520 Mexican pesos, which is about $251.45.
There are Juárez Traffic Police officers and agents at all international bridges patrolling and checking to make sure no one is cutting in line while crossing to El Paso.
