More than 45 U.S. agricultural groups are sounding the alarm, urgently requesting the reopening of crucial international rail crossings in El Paso and Eagle Pass, Texas. The closures, initiated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection due to a surge in migrant smuggling, are triggering a ripple effect across the supply chain, jeopardizing the U.S. economy.

In a joint letter to Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, agricultural associations, such as the American Feed Industry Association and National Corn Growers Association, underscored the profound consequences of the border closures. These restrictions impact over two-thirds of U.S. agricultural exports to Mexico, risking the daily loss of nearly 1 million bushels of grain, amounting to a staggering $200 million, according to estimates by the Union Pacific Railway.

The plea recognizes the humanitarian concerns at the U.S.-Mexico border but urgently emphasizes the necessity for immediate action. "We urge you to take immediate action," implores the letter. It stresses that beyond disrupting the supply chain, the closures pose a genuine threat to food security in Mexico, potentially compelling the humanitarian depopulation of animals. The urgency is heightened by the belief that a worsening food insecurity situation in Mexico could exacerbate the migrant crisis with increased attempts to cross the U.S. border. Despite acknowledging the migrant crisis, the letter contends that reopening the international crossings is essential to avoid a deepening agricultural and economic crisis, urging swift resolution.