The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials commenced conducting border drill exercises on Friday, January 17, 2025, at the US-Mexico border using barbed wires and concrete blocks ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.
According to CBP, vehicle crossings on the international bridge between Ciudad Juarez and El Paso, Texas, were temporarily halted for about 40 minutes during the training session.
Reports states that the CBP office in El Paso stated that the exercise, which started in 2019, were designed to equip agents for possible border incidents. Meanwhile, residents of Ciudad Juarez noted an increase in such drills as Trump’s Monday inauguration approaches, following his pledge to carry out the largest deportation of undocumented migrants in U.S. history.
Ciudad Juarez serves as a key entry point to the United States for migrants escaping poverty, violence, or political instability in their home countries. It is also an official location where migrants with appointments can submit asylum applications via the US government’s CBP One mobile app.
Earlier this week, reports stated that Tijuana, another Mexican border city, declared a state of emergency to allocate resources for managing the possible influx of deportees. Trump, who has often referred to the influx of migrants as an “invasion,” has pledged to declare a national emergency at the Mexico border after assuming office and to deport millions of undocumented individuals.
Presidential inauguration to hold indoors
Donald Trump announced that his presidential inauguration on Monday January 20, will be held indoors due to anticipated freezing temperatures, dampening plans for a grand ceremony to mark the start of his second term.
He made the announcement on his Truth Social account that due to an Arctic blast affecting the country, he had directed that his inauguration address, along with prayers and other speeches, be held in the US Capitol Rotunda.
“There is an Arctic blast sweeping the country, therefore, I have ordered the inauguration address, in addition to prayers and other speeches, to be delivered in the United States Capitol Rotunda,” part of the statement reads.
The change in plans means Trump will forgo the traditional inauguration on the Capitol steps overlooking the National Mall, which usually draws a large crowd. Instead, the event will take place in the Rotunda, a decorative hall beneath the congressional dome that accommodates only a few hundred attendees.
With Washington expecting freezing temperatures and strong winds on Monday, this marks the first time since Ronald Reagan’s 1985 inauguration that an emergency weather measure has been implemented.
Fatimah Quadri is a Journalist and a Fact-checker at The ICIR. She has written news articles, fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy in an effort to combat information disorder.
She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or fquadri@icirnigeria.org