Mexican border officials have announced that a covert tunnel that was used to smuggle migrants and illegal goods between the United States and Mexico will be blocked.
Official estimates say the 300-meter tunnel took at least a year to construct. However, it was only discovered in a storm sewage system last week. It is located between Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, and El Paso, Texas, on each side of the border.
An investigation is being conducted to determine whether or not local officials were aware of its development.
Before the inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to begin mass deportations of illegal immigrants once he is in office, security has been increased on both sides of the border. This is in preparation for the next presidential election.
The tunnel was reinforced with wooden beams and fitted with lights and ventilation to prevent collapses.
According to Army sources, constructing such a structure may have taken at least a year.
According to General Jose Lemus, the commander of the military garrison in Ciudad Juarez, the Mexican Attorney General’s Office has been responsible for investigating whether or not municipal officials were involved in the construction of the tunnel.
On January 10th, United States Border Patrol agents discovered the tunnel after removing a metal plate that had hidden its entry hole. They then alerted their Mexican counterparts about the tunnel’s existence.
The influx of migrants from Mexico into the United States has long influenced relations between the two nations. This topic has become a pivotal issue in the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential race, contributing to Trump’s victory last year.
There are stories in the United States media that indicate that raids to imprison and deport migrants who are residing in the United States without permission might begin as early as Tuesday, which is the day after Trump officially returns to the White House.
Mexico has been executing its largest-ever migrant crackdown, during which it has been busing and flying non-Mexican migrants to the southern region of the nation, which is located a significant distance from the border with the United States.
However, Trump ran his campaign on the promise of closing the border between the United States and Mexico, and his threat to apply tariffs of 25% was interpreted as an attempt to coerce Mexico into taking additional measures to prevent undocumented migrants from entering the southern border of the United States.
Consequently, the recently elected President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, has stated that she will request that the United States take action to put a halt to the flow of weapons that are being smuggled into Mexico from the United States.
