Sen. Cruz introduces bill to prevent commercial border closures

A new bill in the Senate aims to stop the Department of Homeland Security from closing commercial ports of entry.

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, introduced the Keeping International Land Ports of Entry Open Act on Friday, Feb. 9. The legislation is supported by such groups as the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association, the American Trucking Associations, the Texas Trucking Association, the Association of American Railroads, the National Feed and Grain Association and the North American Export Grain Association.

Sens. Pete Ricketts, R-Neb.; Rick Scott, R-Fla.; Mike Lee, R-Utah; and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; joined Cruz to support the bill.

In December, four border entry points were partially or fully closed due to “record levels of migrant crossings,” senior U.S. officials told CBS News.

In a news release, Cruz said that shutting down lawful commerce to welcome illegal aliens is unacceptable. He estimated that each day of the closures shut down about $250 million in commerce.

“Joe Biden is harming American farmers, ranchers, manufacturers, truckers and consumers by prioritizing welcoming illegal aliens over facilitating lawful commerce,” Cruz said in a statement. “Joe Biden’s policy of transferring U.S. Customs and Border Protections agents from facilitating commercial border crossings to instead welcoming in illegal aliens has caused millions of dollars of economic damage. My bill ensures that lawful commerce will continue to invest in the Texas economy by prohibiting the Biden administration from closing ports of entry on the Southern border except in limited circumstances, such as physically assisting Border Patrol in detentions.”

The bill specifically prohibits the transfer of DHS staff from an international port of entry along the southwest border “unless such transfer would not impact the processing of trade through such port of entry, such staff would be immediately replaced or such staff are needed to actively engage in physical detentions to secure such border.”

“We cannot lose sight of the fact that international trade is and will continue to be a critical component of the Texas economy well into the future,” Texas Trucking Association President John D. Esparza said. “Repurposing federal employees designated to keep trade flowing at our borders for the purpose of processing migrants will only exacerbate congestion at our borders. This ultimately disrupts our supply chains in a manner that everyday Texas will feel in their pocketbooks.”

OOIDA said it is focused on ensuring the efficient flow of commerce over the southern border and that its members in Texas – and across the United States – depend on the uninterrupted movement of freight. LL