EL PASO, Texas (Border Report) — Border officers are preparing for traffic between the U.S. and Mexico to increase as spring break gets underway and Holy Week approaches, U.S. Customs and Border Protection said.
Although many school districts and colleges have returned from spring break, many more will have their break during one of the next two weeks, and Mexico has traditionally been a destination for students.
Plus, Holy Week runs from March 24-31, starting with Palm Sunday and culminating with Easter Sunday, and it is also a time when people travel to or from Mexico to be with family.
CBP said this is one of the year’s busiest travel periods, and officials are urging the public to prepare for significant volumes of vehicular traffic.
Border crossers are urged to file and prepay their tourist permit applications electronically via the CBP One mobile app.
U.S. citizens also are reminded to have and be ready to present a valid U.S. passport or Trusted Traveler Program card, or any other compliant document, such as an Enhanced Driver’s License, or Enhanced Tribal Card, when re-entering the United States.
To help reduce wait times and long lines, CBP said, travelers can also take advantage of facial biometrics and the CBP One app for mobile applications and services.
The CBP Office of Field Operations for ports of entry in Laredo will have a satellite, off-site I-94 Form processing facility from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Sundays March 15-30 at the Outlet Shoppes of Laredo, across from Rack Room Shoes. At the Juarez-Lincoln Bridge, CBP will be opening additional lanes at the old CBP Import Lot (located below the bridge) starting Tuesday, Mar. 19 on an as-needed basis to process given amounts of vehicular traffic, CBP said.
“We continue to advise travelers arriving from Mexico to avail themselves of time-saving facilitation measures,” Laredo Port Director Albert Flores said.
CBP also encourages travelers to declare all agricultural items to a CBP officer to avoid delays or fines this holiday season.
For Easter, cascarones, or confetti-filled eggshells, are restricted to no more than a dozen per passenger at ports of entry.
According to CBP, The shells, which may be decorated, etched or painted, must be clean, dry, and free of any egg residue.
The fear is that while the eggs may be stuffed with confetti they might also be carrying diseases such as avian influenza that could wipe out the American poultry industry.
According to CBP, attempting to bring in prohibited agricultural items could result in a fine of up to $1000.