Government shutdown not affecting border trade flows yet

Cargo inspections at international bridges, port operations to continue

U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel will continue working without pay after the federal government shut down Wednesday morning. (Photo: Jim Allen/FreightWaves)

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) said cargo inspections, port operations, and passenger processing will continue after Congress failed to reach a funding deal at midnight on Tuesday.

CBP officers and Border Patrol agents are considered “essential” personnel and will continue working during the funding lapse, without pay. Ports of entry will remain open, and inspections of cargo and travelers will continue.

Revenue collection on imports, including tariffs and duties, will also continue. 

CBP has more than 60,000 employees, including CBP officers, Border Patrol agents, agriculture specialists, and other personnel responsible for border security, trade facilitation, and law enforcement.

So far, there are no bottlenecks at bridges connecting the U.S. to Mexico and Canada.

Wait times for cargo trucks are currently at 10 minutes at the World Trade Bridge in Laredo, Texas. The World Trade Bridge alone handles more than 16,000 commercial trucks daily, meaning even small slowdowns can quickly cascade into significant congestion.

Commercial trucks are waiting about 25 minutes to cross the border at the Ysleta International Bridge in El Paso, Texas. Bridges connecting the U.S. and Canada border show no delays.

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Noi Mahoney

Noi Mahoney is a Texas-based journalist who covers cross-border trade, logistics and supply chains for FreightWaves. He graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in English in 1998. Mahoney has more than 20 years experience as a journalist, working for newspapers in Maryland and Texas. Contact nmahoney@freightwaves.com