Gov. Abbott says trucks will be inspected deeper in Mexico to alleviate clog at border

LAREDO, Texas - We are holding Governor Greg Abbott accountable for what some might say is a failed border policy, which led to a massive clog of semi trucks at the Texas Mexico border.

News 4’s Joe Galli is here for you asking the Governor hard questions on the abrupt about face on policy.

Governor Abbott claimed Wednesday was a historic day for Texas and for Nuevo León, the state which shares only about eight miles of border with Texas.

During the press conference Wednesday, Governor Abbott and Nuevo León Governor Samuel Alejandro García Sepúlveda signed an agreement stating semi trucks will be inspected deeper into Mexico, away from the border, in order to alleviate the clog at the ports of entry between the two states.

During the past week Governor Abbott has been under fire for this policy from business leaders and political opponents saying that it was bad for trade, bad for business and was adding to even more inflation.The governor‘s office has faced criticism from his Democratic challenger for Governor, Beto O’Rourke, and several other politicians for these added checks. They've said that these added measure slow traffic and trade and do nothing to stop smuggling of drugs or people.

Truckers on the Mexican side of the border have also been protesting this decision by forming a blockade at some ports of entry.

We asked him, "What would you say to your critics who say what you put forward last week was a publicity stunt that blew up in your face and now you have double back?"

"The goal all along had been to ensure that people had understood the consequences of an open border and Texas isn’t going to tolerate it anymore," said Governor Greg Abbott. "We knew as soon as we did what we did on the border, that we would be contacted by officials in Mexico because it is a very high price to pay with regard to what is going on on the border. Sometimes it just takes action like that to spur people sitting down and working things out, like the way they are beginning to work out and it led to today with us making history."

Governor García Sepúlveda says police officers have already begun to search semi trucks on his side of the border and he said he looks forward to continually working with Texas to secure the border.

Governor Abbott also says he’s been in contact with the governors of the other Mexican states which border Texas to implement similar policies there.

Once again, the governor was unable to tell us if any arrests were made because of the policy or if any drugs were seized or people saved from being trafficked.