EXPLAINER: Why did Texas hold up trucks on border for days?

By ELLIOT SPAGAT and PAUL J. WEBER
Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Gov. Greg Abbott’s decision to impose additional inspections of trucks entering Texas from Mexico was his latest move in an unprecedented foray into border security, which has long been the federal government’s domain. The two-term governor, like many Republican Party leaders, calls illegal immigration and drug smuggling from Mexico a “crisis” and fully blames President Joe Biden. His latest actions follow the Biden administration’s decision to end pandemic-related restrictions for those claiming asylum at the border on May 23. Border officials stopped migrants 164,973 times in February, a daily average of nearly 5,900. They stopped migrants an average of 7,101 times a day during the week that ended March 28. Under pressure, Abbott repealed the inspection order Friday.