United States law enforcement officials conducted training exercises on January 17 at a border crossing between Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas. The exercises involved the use of barbed wire and concrete blocks, temporarily halting vehicle crossings for approximately 40 minutes.
This training, which began in 2019 according to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) office in El Paso, is designed to prepare agents for potential incidents at the border.
As tensions rise ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, residents of Ciudad Juarez have reported an increase in such exercises.
Many are concerned about Trump's promises regarding immigration policy, particularly his intention to implement significant deportations of undocumented migrants. Local resident Yadira Martinez noted that this was the second closure she had witnessed that week.
Ciudad Juarez serves as a critical entry point for migrants fleeing dire conditions in their home countries. It is also one of the designated locations for individuals seeking to file asylum applications through the U.S. government's CBP One mobile application.
In light of anticipated changes in U.S. immigration policy under Trump, another Mexican border city, Tijuana, has already declared an emergency to allocate resources for a possible influx of deportees.
Trump has characterized the arrival of migrants as an "invasion" and has indicated plans to declare a national emergency at the southern border upon taking office.
