TORNILLO, Texas -- Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today joined Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto to inaugurate the Tornillo-Guadalupe Port of Entry and International Bridge in Tornillo, Texas. The port of entry will replace the Fabens-Caseta Port of Entry completed in 1938 and will connect Tornillo, Texas and Guadalupe, Mexico.
Today the Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker,, and I met the President of Mexico to open a new bridge on the border near El Paso. After it was over, I invited Penny to walk the mile over the new bridge back to the U.S. You can't see the army of security, helicopters and Suburbans following us. We still needed to present our passports to enter the U.S.
Officials from both governments participated in today's inauguration ceremony, including U.S. General Services Administration Southern Border Executive Charlie Hart, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Director of Field Operations Hector Mancha, Mexican Secretary of Finance and Public Credit Luis Videgaray Caso, Secretary of Communications and Transport Gerardo Ruiz Esparza, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Claudia Ruiz Massieu, and Mexican Tax Administration Service Chief Aristóteles Núñez.
The Tornillo-Guadalupe project, which broke ground in July 2011, is designed to enhance international trade, improve environmental conditions, and alleviate congestion in the El Paso-Ciudad Juarez metropolitan area. The project will increase capacity and lanes on the bridge and at the port of entry and introduce commercial traffic, in addition to pedestrian and personally-owned vehicles, to cross between the United States and Mexico.
"The completion of the Tornillo-Guadalupe Port of Entry and International Bridge demonstrates our shared commitment to promoting the economic growth and prosperity of both of our countries," said Secretary Johnson. "Cross-border trade remains a critical part of our bilateral relationship and we will continue to collaborate with our Mexican counterparts to build the necessary infrastructure to facilitate lawful trade along our southwest border."