Border Posts Close as Hurricane Beryl Makes Landfall

Several ports of entry into the U.S. have been closed as Hurricane Beryl barrels through Texas and causes severe disruption amid extreme weather conditions.

The Ports of Brownsville and Hidalgo have temporarily closed lanes and are suspending CBP One appointment processing, which is done through the CBP’s app, for 48 hours between 7-8 July, out of an “abundance of caution” due to harsh weather conditions.

Individuals with a CBP One appointment for Monday, 8 July in Brownsville and Hidalgo will be allowed to present themselves at a different time on Tuesday, 9 July, through the end of the week.

It is expected the disruption will cause a backlog in the processing of migrants legally entering the United States. Newsweek has contacted the U.S. Customs and Border Protection for comment.

Hurricane Beryl made landfall on the Texas coast near Matagorda in the early hours on Monday, 8 July, the National Weather Service reported.

Beryl is set to travel northward, across eastern Texas as the storm hit land as a Category 1 hurricane around 4 a.m. local time about 85 miles southwest of Houston with top sustained winds of 80 mph (128.7 kph) while moving north at 12 mph (19.3 kph).

The National Hurricane Service said: “Life-threatening storm surge and strong winds are occurring with considerable flash and urban flooding expected.”

The U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port of Brownsville set the Port to Condition Zulu, suspending all vessel traffic. All movements require the approval of the Coast Guard.

Officials warned that due to the unpredictable nature of severe weather conditions, further changes to border operations may be required out of necessity.

Migrants have been advised by authorities not to attempt to cross the border unlawfully as they risk the lives of themselves and those accompanying them while they wait for the ports to fully reopen.

As Hurricane Beryl makes landfall, Texas Governor Gregg Abbot remains absent as he is currently in Taiwan for the opening of a Texas-Taiwan trade representative office in Taipei to strengthen business and economic ties between the island and the state.

Mr Abbot posted on X and said: “While I am in Taiwan, South Korea & Japan working on business deals worth billions, I remain in daily contact with Texas Division of Emergency Management & local officials to ensure preparation for Hurricane Beryl.”

It comes as migrants have been warned of the heightened risks of attempting border crossings after the remains of several dead bodies were found in the desert.

CBP agents found three deceased people near Ajo in southern Arizona on June 26, along with four other surviving migrants.

Official CBP guidance states: “The terrain along the border is extreme, the summer heat is severe, and the miles of desert migrants must hike after crossing the border in many areas are unforgiving. People who made the decision to make the dangerous journey into this territory have died of dehydration, starvation, and heat stroke.

“No one should believe smugglers or others claiming the borders are open. People should not make the dangerous journey; individuals and families are subject to border restrictions, including expulsion.”

The CBP One app was launched to help reduce waiting times and to ensure “orderly and streamlined processing”. It allows travelers to access certain agency functions on mobile phones.

The app has become the only way that migrants arriving at the U.S.-Mexico border seeking asylum at a port of entry can preschedule appointments for processing and maintain guaranteed asylum eligibility. Migrants can also use the app to check waiting times at the border.

Last year when the app launched, Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas described CBP One as an “innovative solution” used to “facilitate the safe and orderly arrival of noncitizens.”

The American Immigration Council has criticized the app and stated functions were “plagued with technical glitches, frustrating users, and the app continues to raise concerns.”

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