(Reuters) – Texas Governor Greg Abbott’s truck inspection policies at the Mexico border are disrupting supply chains and leading to higher prices for goods, the White House said on Wednesday.
“Governor Abbott’s unnecessary and redundant inspections of trucks transiting ports of entry between Texas and Mexico are causing significant disruptions to the food and automobile supply chains, delaying manufacturing, impacting jobs, and raising prices for families in Texas and across the country,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement.
Abbott’s office did not immediately return a call for comment.
Mexican truck drivers blockaded bridges at the U.S. border for a second day on Tuesday to protest an order by Abbott that has snarled traffic and led business groups to warn of supply chain disruptions.
The slowdowns began after the Republican governor ordered officials last week to conduct vehicle safety inspections at entry ports to uncover smuggling of people and contraband.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said on Tuesday the long waits were due to “additional and unnecessary inspections” ordered by Abbott and were causing “critical impacts to an already-strained supply chain.”
The White House, battling rising inflation and supply chain challenges stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, said the continuous flow of legitimate trade and travel should not be obstructed.
“Governor Abbott’s actions are impacting people’s jobs, and the livelihoods of hardworking American families,” the White House said.
(Reporting by Doina Chiacu in Washington; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
