TREND: Total commercial traffic through the primary U.S.-Mexico ports of entry (PoE) in 2021 roughly matched 2019 traffic. This marks a recovery without growth from the significant drops in commercial traffic volume seen during the depths of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. But the recovery is not evenly distributed across the border: traffic increases at the Laredo PoE mask reduced throughput at the other primary PoEs. The U.S. began to allow nonessential travel across its land borders in November 2021. In December 2021—the first full month of operations under the new guidelines for nonessential travel—noncommercial travel through U.S.-Mexico PoE increased to almost the volumes of December 2019.
COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC
•Total commercial traffic through U.S.-Mexico PoE in 2021 was almost equal to 2019. Recovery to pre-pandemic levels of commercial traffic through ports of entry along the U.S.–Mexico border improved in 2021 when compared to 2019. Total commercial traffic through all PoE along the U.S.-Mexico border was only 48,185 less in 2021 than it had been in 2019.
• However, not all ports of entry along the U.S.–Mexico border showed such a sign of recovery. Commercial traffic through the Laredo PoE increased by about 198,900 (11.6%) in 2021 when compared to 2019. Meanwhile, commercial traffic through the El Paso PoE was still down by about 126,400 (20.7%) truck crossings in 2021 when compared to 2019. In fact, El Paso showed the largest decrease in commercial traffic of all the top ten ports of entry. Despite this, the El Paso PoE remains among the top three ports of entry in terms of total commercial traffic.
Table 1.- Change in Commercial Traffic at the Top Ten US-Mexico Border Ports of Entry
Note: Top ten ports based on 2020 traffic. Numbers are for loaded container truck crossings into the U.S. El Paso PoE includes Ysleta PoE.
Source: Hunt Institute calculations using data from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
NONCOMMERCIAL TRAFFIC
• Noncommercial border crossings during 2021 were above the 2020 total but did not reach pre-pandemic levels of 2019. Yet, noncommercial traffic through PoE along the U.S.-Mexico border increased significantly since the first week of November 2021 following the the U.S. decision to allow nonessential traffic to enter the country via land borders. Noncommercial traffic through all ports of entry along the U.S.-Mexico border was down by 62,364,000 (-33.1%) in 2021 when compared to 2019. Noncommercial traffic through the San Ysidro PoE for 2021 was still down by about 9,368,000 (-25.5%). The El Paso PoE was the second busiest port in 2021 but was still down by about 8,322,000 (-31.2%) crossings when compared to 2019. Brownsville and Laredo were down by 5,309,000 (-42.2%) and 6,705,000 (-44.2%), respectively.
Table 2.- Change in Noncommercial Traffic at the Top Ten U.S.–Mexico Border Ports of Entry
Note: Top ten ports based on 2020 traffic. Numbers are for total passenger and pedestrian crossings into the U.S. El Paso PoE includes Ysleta PoE.
Source: Hunt Institute calculations using data from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
•Increases in noncommercial traffic at the end of 2021 create optimism for noncommercial traffic volume in 2022. The surge in noncommercial traffic through these PoE brought December 2021’s noncommercial traffic levels close to those of December 2019.
Table 3.- Change in Noncommercial Traffic at the Top Ten U.S.–Mexico Border Ports of Entry, Thousands (December 2019 vs December 2021)
Note: Top ten ports based in December 2019 & 2021. Numbers are for total passenger and pedestrian crossings into the U.S. El Paso PoE includes Ysleta PoE.
Source: Hunt Institute calculations using data from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
TAKEAWAY: As the U.S.-Mexico border continues to open to nonessential travel in 2022, commercial and noncommercial border crossings are expected to reach pre-pandemic levels, which will continue to boost regional border economies with the increase in revenue brought by international travelers. We should also observe a continuation of the trend towards increased commercial traffic through all U.S.-Mexico ports in 2022, possibly even producing growth over 2019. The Covid-19 pandemic did increase the share of commercial traffic routed through the Laredo PoE, which accounted for almost half (42%) of all U.S.-Mexico commercial traffic in 2021. We will see, however, if that shift will hold for the Laredo PoE in 2022 and if the other top ten PoE will produce growth over 2019.
* Since 2014, the Hunt Institute for Global Competitiveness at The University of Texas at El Paso has provided economic analysis of the Paso del Norte Region that includes the binational communities of El Paso, Texas; Las Cruces, New Mexico; and Ciudad Juárez, Mexico. The mission of the Hunt Institute is to produce high-quality market analysis tools that can strengthen regional and binational cross-border economic and social development. Twitter: @HuntPasoDeNorte
