US Border Exercises Intensify Ahead Of Trump’s Inauguration
US law enforcement agents carried out border crossing exercises on Friday at a crossing on the Mexico-US border, using barbed wire and concrete blocks.
The drills were conducted as tensions mounted in the lead-up to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
Vehicle crossings on an international bridge connecting Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas, were halted for about 40 minutes while US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers carried out their training, as reported by an AFP journalist.
According to the CBP office in El Paso, these exercises began in 2019 and are designed to ensure that agents are prepared for potential border incidents.
As Trump prepares to take office on Monday, the exercises have become more frequent.
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The President-elect has vowed to carry out the largest deportation of undocumented migrants in US history, further intensifying concerns along the border.
Residents in Ciudad Juarez, one of the main entry points for migrants seeking refuge in the United States, expressed growing frustration.
“This is the second closure I’ve seen this week,” said Yadira Martinez, one of the residents trying to cross.
Ciudad Juarez is also an official entry point for migrants with appointments to file asylum applications through the US government’s CBP One cellphone app.
Earlier this week, Tijuana, another Mexican border city, declared an emergency and allocated funds to handle the potential influx of deportees.
Trump, who has repeatedly referred to the arrival of migrants as an “invasion,” has promised to declare a national emergency at the border with Mexico once he assumes office.
He aims to expel millions of undocumented migrants residing in the United States.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
