McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection plans to expand cargo inspections at a small South Texas port of entry in the rural town of Los Indios, Texas, through a public-private partnership, the agency said.
The Los Indios Land Port of Entry, also called the Free Trade Bridge in Los Indios, will undergo a “small-scale infrastructure improvement project,” CBP officials announced Friday.
An existing export office building will be renovated to provide a workspace for CBP officers and Unified Cargo Processing. This will allow for joint inspections with Mexican officials “to improve efficiency and binational collaboration,” CBP officials said.
The surrounding port also is getting a face-lift of sorts with a new modernized perimeter security fence and concrete and automated controls for a new motorized gate, CBP says.
“The renovation of the existing facilities and converting into office spaces to incorporate Unified Cargo Processing will have a significant impact in our ability to expedite legitimate trade and travel in the United States,” Diane Sabatini, acting executive assistant commissioner for the Office of Field Operations, said in a statement.
“Traffic will be facilitated through the enhanced inspection of these vehicles by CBP,” Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino Jr., said.
The upgrades are a joint partnership between CBP, the General Services Administration, Cameron County and the Cameron County Regional Mobility Authority. The local entities first proposed the expansion in 2019 under the Donations Acceptance Program.
The program allows private entities, and government entities, like municipalities, to donate land and buildings to the federal government for use at ports of entries to benefit border communities. Since it began in 2015, several ports of entry in South Texas have been expanded or applied for expansion construction renovations.
“This project and many others along the southern border, benefit from the use of the Donation Acceptance Program allowing us to creatively deliver in support of CBP’s mission,” GSA Regional Administrator Jason Shelton said.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.
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