18 months ago the USDA said it wouldn't allow its cattle inspectors to enter Mexico at the Presidio-Ojinaga crossing.
Those inspectors had been crossing the border without problems for years to ease the flow of cattle from Mexico. They’d go to a state-of-the-art inspection pen in Ojinaga that had been certified by the U.S. Nearby hotels, gas stations and businesses in Presidio saw profits from Mexicans coming through town with their cattle, on the way to their American customers..
Over the Memorial Day weekend, Democratic Representative Pete Gallego became the first U.S. Congressman in decades to visit Ojinaga on official business. He was there to gather facts ahead of what he says will be a renewed campaign to get the USDA to once again allow its inspectors (several of whom live in Ojinaga) to get back to work in the city.
Gallego spoke with Fronteras Desk reporter Lorne Matalon.
