The Del Río–Ciudad Acuña International Bridge is an international
bridge
A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...
which crosses the
Rio Grande
The Rio Grande ( or ) in the United States or the Río Bravo (del Norte) in Mexico (), also known as Tó Ba'áadi in Navajo language, Navajo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the Southwestern United States a ...
connecting the
United States-Mexico border
United may refer to:
Places
* United, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated community
* United, West Virginia, an unincorporated community
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''United'' (2003 film), a Norwegian film
* ''United'' (2011 film), a BBC Two f ...
cities of
Del Rio, TX and
Ciudad Acuña, Coah. The bridge is also known as "Del Río International Bridge", "Puente Acuña" and "Puente Ciudad Acuña-Ciudad Del Río".
[TxDOT Transportation Planning; Border Crossings](_blank)
/ref>
Description
The American side of the Del Río–Ciudad Acuña International Bridge is currently owned by the City of Del Rio, which also manages it. The bridge was constructed in 1930 and rebuilt in 1987. The bridge is four-lane wide by long and includes two sidewalks for pedestrians.
Border crossing
The Del Rio Texas Port of Entry is located at the Del Río – Ciudad Acuña International Bridge. The current port of entry facility was rebuilt by the General Services Administration
The General Services Administration (GSA) is an Independent agencies of the United States government, independent agency of the United States government established in 1949 to help manage and support the basic functioning of federal agencies. G ...
in 2004.
2021 Del Rio Bridge migrant surge
In mid-September 2021, a large group of migrants, almost all from Haiti, attempted to enter the U.S. by crossing the shallow Rio Grande
The Rio Grande ( or ) in the United States or the Río Bravo (del Norte) in Mexico (), also known as Tó Ba'áadi in Navajo language, Navajo, is one of the principal rivers (along with the Colorado River) in the Southwestern United States a ...
and seeking shelter beneath the bridge, where they lived in unhealthy conditions. The crowd grew from a few hundred to thousands within a week, initially overwhelming authorities. By September 24, 2021, all of the approximately 15,000 migrants were cleared from their encampment underneath the bridge: the U.S. Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the U.S. federal executive department responsible for public security, roughly comparable to the interior, home, or public security ministries in other countries. Its missions involv ...
reported that about 8,000 migrants "decided to return to Mexico voluntarily"; 2,000 migrants were expelled to Haiti on 17 DHS-organized flights, and 5,000 were placed in DHS processing "to determine whether they will be expelled or placed in immigration removal proceedings
In the United States, removal proceedings are administrative proceedings to determine an individual's removability under federal immigration law. Removal proceedings are typically conducted in Immigration Court (the Executive Office for Immigr ...
." The U.S. authorities sought to deter more people from rushing the border.[Thousands of Haitian Migrants to Stay in U.S.](_blank)
, ''The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
''. September 23, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021. Some of the migrants are applying for asylum in the U.S.immigration court
The Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) is a sub-agency of the United States Department of Justice whose chief function is to conduct removal proceedings in immigration courts and adjudicate appeals arising from the proceedings. These ...
backlogs), some were permitted to go to New York, Boston and Miami.[Haitian migrants from border camp moved to Houston, other cities, US officials confirm]
, KHOU
KHOU (channel 11) is a television station in Houston, Texas, United States, affiliated with CBS. It is owned by Tegna Inc. alongside Conroe-licensed Quest station KTBU (channel 55). The two stations share studios on Westheimer Road near ...
. September 22, 2021. Retrieved September 23, 2021. The Biden administration's handling of the migrants was criticized by both immigration advocates (who pressed for more migrants to be allowed to stay in the U.S.)
See also
* List of international bridges in North America
An international bridge is a structure that provides transportation across borders. Tourists and cross-border commuters travelling between countries often use these bridges. Such bridges also facilitate international trade. Below is a list of inte ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Del Rio - Ciudad Acuna International Bridge
Mexico–United States bridges
Coahuila–United States bridges
Toll bridges in Texas
Bridges completed in 1930
Buildings and structures in Val Verde County, Texas
Transportation in Val Verde County, Texas
Road bridges in Texas
Toll bridges in Mexico
Del Rio, Texas