SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — Ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border will briefly cease operations during ceremonies to honor the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack on Thursday morning.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Offices of Field Operations are asking commuters to expect delays as result of these events, some which will include a one-minute moment of silence.
During this time, all activities at the ports of entry will be halted.
CBP is recommending travelers monitor border-wait times via Border Wait Times, or download the CBP Border Wait Times app on their smartphone from the App Store or Google Play to monitor expected delays and make decisions on what border crossing to use.
California ports of entry
The San Diego Field Office announced a brief halt in northbound traffic operations at 5:46 a.m. PDT — 8:46 a.m. EDT — the same moment Flight 11 crashed into the World Trade Center’s North Tower.
Normal traffic operations will resume immediately following the brief ceremony.
The following ports of entry in California will participate: San Ysidro, Otay Mesa, Tecate and Calexico West.
Texas ports of entry
At the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge in Laredo, Texas, CBP said officials will halt north- and southbound traffic at 6:45 a.m. CDT.
Vehicular traffic is expected to resume at 8 a.m., said CBP, which encourages the traveling public to make arrangements, adding that the Colombia-Solidarity Bridge will open at 6 a.m. on Thursday and will serve as an alternative route.
Big Bend Sector
The U.S. Border Patrol’s Big Bend Sector will hold a 9/11 commemoration ceremony from 10 a.m. to noon CDT on Thursday at its Alpine Station.
The ceremony will take place at the station’s 9/11 Memorial, which features a 1,300-pound steel artifact recovered from the ruins of the World Trade Center. CBP said it’s one of only a few such artifacts located on federal property.
The event will include U.S. Border Patrol Big Bend sector leadership, state and local law enforcement and the Alpine Fire Department and Emergency Services.
The Alpine station is located at 3003 W. Hwy. 90 in Alpine, Texas.
On Sept. 11, 2001, 19 terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes and carried out suicide attacks against the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., resulting in the deaths of nearly 3,000 people.
The fourth plane crashed in rural Pennsylvania when passengers fought with the hijackers. That aircraft was bound for the capitol building in D.C.
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