El Paso merchants report sales drops amid border enforcement

Merchants in El Paso, Texas, report sales declines of up to 50 percent due to reduced consumer traffic from Ciudad Juárez. This downturn is attributed to intensified U.S. enforcement measures targeting ‘birth tourism.’ While U.S. law does not prohibit pregnant travelers, Customs and Border Protection officials exercise discretion based on factors such as expected delivery dates and financial capacity.

Simultaneously, security concerns are rising in the border region. The Chihuahua State Public Security Secretariat (SSPE) warns of potential violent confrontations between the criminal groups ‘Los Cabrera’ and ‘La Línea.’ Authorities fear that increased U.S. border enforcement in the El Paso sector may push these groups to fight for control over alternative smuggling routes in the rural Valle de Juárez area.