AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller is calling on the governor to end the enhanced safety inspections on commercial vehicles entering Texas from Mexico. 

What You Need To Know

  • Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller sent a letter to Gov. Greg Abbott calling his safety policy “catastrophic" and "misguided" 

  • He said if this policy continues, shoppers will pay extremely high prices for produce, if it’s on shelves at all. 

  • Truckers have blocked the Pharr-Reynosa International Bridge in protest after Abbott last week directed state troopers to pull over and inspect trucks coming into Texas

In a letter, Miller said Abbott’s policy that directs Texas state troopers to pull over and inspect trucks coming into Texas has little effect on immigration and will hurt Texas consumers. He said if this policy continues, shoppers will pay extremely high prices for produce, if it’s on shelves at all. 

“This misguided policy will have little or no impact on the invasion on our southern border, caused by the inaction of the Biden Administration. Instead, this policy will hurt Texas and American consumers by driving up already skyrocketing food prices, worsening ongoing supply chain disruptions, causing massive produce shortages, and saddling Texas and American companies with untold losses.”

“If your policy continues, within the next week, I predict that Texas consumers will be paying two dollars for a lime and five dollars for an avocado. The following week, Texas produce shelves will be empty—for the third time because of policies implemented by your administration.”

“Your inspection protocol is not stopping illegal immigration. It is stopping food from getting to grocery store shelves and, in many cases, causing food to rot in trucks—many of which are owned by Texas and other American companies. It is simply political theater. The people of Texas deserve better!” 

Miller said there are reports of more than 20,000 commercial trucks backed up on the border, and many of them are waiting for hours to get through. Some of the tractor trailers are carrying produce that will soon spoil. Miller also added the policy is also hindering exports to Mexico, Texas’ biggest trade partner. 

Currently, truckers on the Mexican side of the border of the Pharr-Reynosa International bridge are blocking traffic in protest of Abbott’s policies. They say they plan to shut down this bridge until Abbott eases inspections. 

Abbott enacted several policies to tighten the border after President Joe Biden announced plans to lift Title 42 next month.

Below is the full letter Miller sent to Abbott: 

Miller Letter to Abbott by Spectrum News Texas on Scribd