An analysis found that Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s short-lived policy requiring double truck inspections at the border cost the US $9 billion, Axios reports.
Abbott earlier this month ordered state troopers to conduct additional inspections of commercial trucks crossing the Mexican border in response to the Biden administration’s announcement that it would lift Title 42, a pandemic-era ban on asylum seekers.
Abbott claimed that drug cartels used commercial trucks to smuggle narcotics and people into the US to justify his policy.
But the order drew backlash from both sides of the aisle back home and a blockade by truckers on the Mexican side of the border, which snarled shipments and caused huge delays.
Abbott finally relented and ended the policy on Friday after reaching an agreement with four neighboring Mexican states.
$9 billion in losses:
The Texas-based Perryman Group found that the US lost an estimated $8.97 billion in gross domestic product due to the delays at the border.
The estimate found that Texas alone lost about $4.23 billion in GDP.
The company said the estimates are based on a study it conducted of effects of a different border slowdown but updated to reflect this month’s situation.
Abbott pushes back:
Abbott spokeswoman Renae Eze told Axios that the delays averaged five hours and "is hardly equivalent to President Biden's 15-month delay to secure our border."
Eze said that Abbott was able to successfully negotiate agreements with Mexican states to increase their own security efforts.
"Border governors are leading the way in solving border problems, and it's time for President Biden and Congress to step up and do their jobs to secure our border," Eze said.
