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Mexico diverts transmigrant traffic through Presidio (TX) port
Big Bend Sentinel ^ | November 9, 2017 | John Daniel Garcia

Posted on 11/15/2017 4:08:39 PM PST by WestTexasWend

PRESIDIO – City of Presidio Administrator Joe Portillo informed Presidio County commissioners last week of the Mexican government’s decision to direct transmigrants – usually South American salvagers – to the Presidio-Ojinaga port of entry.

If you live near the border, you may recognize the transmigrants and their cargo: salvaged vehicles (often from California) towing another vehicle and stuffed with used furniture, appliances, and other goods.

The transmigrants, Portillo explained, are mostly from Guatemala, but come from other South American countries such as Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.

According to Portillo, Mexican Customs at ports currently used by the transmigrants, such as the Los Indios port in the Texas Lower Valley, have decided to divert transmigrant traffic to the Del Rio, Eagle Pass, and Presidio ports due to “problems with congestion, safety, and security,” Portillo said, within the next two months.

Presidio, he said, could see around 130,000 to 160,000 additional vehicles going through the city per year, though the increased traffic might not boost the city’s economy.

“I suspect they will probably sleep in their vehicles and they will probably feed themselves,” he said, speaking of his experience with transmigrants when he was a Texas Department of Public Safety state trooper.

For export/imports into Mexico, he added, Mexican Customs requires a 72-hour waiting period, which he says may cause some of the transmigrants to require a 4-5 day wait in the border community.

“It has overwhelmed [Los Indios’] police department,” Portillo said. “They recover an average of 10 stolen vehicles per week and have around 5–6 accidents per week,” he told count officials. “More traffic may equal more accidents and will tax our EMS and local law enforcement.”

The city could also see an uptick in crime, he said.

“They travel in convoys and many are good people, but some will be of the criminal element, have gang affiliations, and use aliases and have a criminal history or may even be wanted,” he told The Presidio International/Big Bend Sentinel.

Currently, Los Indios Police Department Chief Jose de la Rosa said, the small border city currently sees around 1,000-2,000 vehicles per day during the holiday season, waiting to go into Mexico.

“We have a lot of accidents because of the transmigrants, and sometimes they have no insurance. And sometimes we get drivers driving 18-wheelers without the proper commercial driver’s licenses,” de la Rosa said, adding that the city has hired an additional seven officers to keep up with the workload due to the transmigrants. “We have a lot of traffic with Customs, and we’ve found out that, out of the vehicles that they’re trying to get to Mexico, there’s a 20 percent chance they’re stolen.”

The City of Presidio Police Department, Chief Marco Baeza said, will initially increase patrols in the areas where the transmigrants congregate. In the meantime, Chief Baeza said, he will be looking into possible ordinances to recommend to the city council to cut down on any major issue that may occur as the transmigrants come through town.

“Right now, I’m researching ordinances we can pass to insure the safety of the people of Presidio,” Baeza said. “Our concern right now is with people wandering around town and sleeping in their cars.”

Presidio County Chief Deputy Sheriff Joel Nuñez said his department will closely monitor the issue.

“We don’t have the data right now,” he said. “There’s already plenty of traffic on Friday and Sunday, and we expect the possibility of having traffic like that throughout the week, but right now it doesn’t warrant any extreme measures.”


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: aliens; congestion; safety; security; transmigrant

1 posted on 11/15/2017 4:08:39 PM PST by WestTexasWend
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To: WestTexasWend

At least they are southbound / outbound

BTW. this is about 30 miles south of ranch where AJSCOTUS Antonin Scalia died, so the Tin Hat conspiracy crowd will be howling at the Moon over this.


2 posted on 11/15/2017 4:19:58 PM PST by Strac6 ("Mrs. Strac, Pilatus, and Sig Sauer: All the fun things in my life are Swiss!")
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To: WestTexasWend

They are on I-10 in Arizona also.


3 posted on 11/15/2017 4:23:31 PM PST by amihow
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To: WestTexasWend

Mexican RVs.


4 posted on 11/15/2017 4:36:34 PM PST by Salvavida (The Missouri citizen's militia sends its regards.)
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To: WestTexasWend

These days, doesn’t “transmigrant” mean they cross dress?


5 posted on 11/15/2017 4:53:34 PM PST by LYDIAONTARIO
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To: WestTexasWend

Oh, that’s gonna be a horrible mess. Presidio is a tiny town, with no infrastructure for dealing with something like this. It’s probably one of the oldest towns in the country, but there just isn’t much there. On the other hand, they can designate a handy patch of desert for these folks to camp in. I have to go to Presidio a few times a year- I refuse to stay there overnight, so I have to drive in 100 miles from the nearest town that has a decent hotel (Marfa is a little bit closer, but I don’t like to stay there).


6 posted on 11/15/2017 6:05:06 PM PST by TexasBarak (I aim to misbehave!)
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