State and local officials told the committee that New World screwworm detections in Mexico have prompted intermittent closures and reopenings of rural ports of entry, disrupting cattle shipments and creating operational pressure on other crossings.

Gerardo Fierro and other Border Authority presenters said Senasica (Mexico’s animal-health authority) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture have been coordinating on containment, and that Columbus had been closed for months before a brief reopening and then an immediate reclosure after a new case was reported. Presenters said Mexico and USDA are managing containment zones and that local offices, including state veterinarians, have engaged to support reopening when containment permits.

Why this matters: Santa Teresa and Columbus are major cattle‑trade crossings for the region. Officials warned that protracted closures or intermittent openings limit perishable agricultural shipments, strain local logistics providers and can have downstream effects on producers, truckers and processors.

What officials said: presenters said reopening decisions rest with Senasica and USDA; they described temporary personnel allocations and testing capacity provided by USDA but emphasized the situation remains fluid. County and state officials said they are advocating for lab capacity and coordination to manage future outbreaks quickly.

Ending: Officials said continued coordination with federal agencies and colleagues in Texas and Mexico will be needed to stabilize cross‑border cattle trade as detections recur.