Angry with a policy enacted by Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott that required commercial trucks coming into the United States from Mexico to be searched, Mexican truckers have blocked the lanes of southbound roadways at ports of entry, the Texas Tribune reports.

Abbott introduced a policy that Texas Department of Public Safety officers, including state troopers, inspect all vehicles coming into Texas for undocumented immigrants and illegal drugs.  Abbott said he was enacting the rule because the Biden Administration withdrew Title 42, a pandemic-related regulation that allowed the United States to prevent anyone from coming across the border, even those seeking asylum.  Abbott, however, must be unaware that most people coming across the border illegally do not use the ports of entry, with the border patrol is intercepting tens of thousands of people each month.

Abbott’s folly has caused miles-long backups on the Mexican side of the border, while Abbott’s police spend around 45 minutes searching each vehicle.  When Abbott demanded that every truck be searched, the truck backup measured five miles through a Mexican border town.  Because the produce is shipped in refrigerated trucks whose refrigeration units run on diesel fuel carried by the truck, many trucks ran out of fuel, leading to truckloads of spoiled produce. 

The trucks coming up from Mexico are carrying including avocados, broccoli, peppers, strawberries and tomatoes for stores in the Midwest and East Coast.

Angry about the wasted time, fuel and produce because of Abbott’s folly, Mexican truckers blocked lanes for southbound traffic at a number of ports of entry at the Texas border, blocking traffic entirely or slowing traffic to a crawl.

Thanks to RSCass for the tip.