Texas DPS Border Inspections Take 1K Dangerous Commercial Trucks, 84 Drivers Off U.S. Roadways

Texas Department of Public Safety troopers conducting safety inspections of commercial vehicles at ports of entry stopped nearly 1,000 trucks with “serious safety violations” from driving into the state. The increased inspections are being carried out under an order from Governor Greg Abbott as part of a response to the growing border crisis.

Troopers took nearly 25 percent of the 4,133 commercial vehicles inspected during the first six days following the governor’s announcement off the roadways for “serious safety violations,” according to a statement provided by DPS officials. Troopers placed 973 commercial vehicles out of service following the inspections. These safety violations included defective brakes, defective tires, and defective lighting. Troopers also placed 84 drivers out of service for violations of state or federal regulations.

Commercial trucks back up along the international bridge in Eagle Pass, Texas, as they await inspection by DPS troopers. (Randy Clark/Breitbart Texas)

A Wednesday morning statement by White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki pushed back on the inspection program put in place by Governor Abbott on April 6, Breitbart News reported. She called the inspections “unnecessary and redundant.”

CBP officials also issued a statement calling the Texas inspections “unnecessary.”

“These unnecessary inspections are occurring when vehicles exit U.S. ports of entry within the El Paso and Laredo areas of operation after being comprehensively inspected and cleared to enter the United States by CBP,” the statement reads.

DPS officials told Breitbart Texas these statements are not correct. DPS troopers are only inspecting vehicles that have not been inspected by U.S. Customs and Border Protection or Department of Transportation officials during the border crossing process.

“If they have been inspected by either agency, we let them go,” the official noted. The inspections take approximately 45 minutes to an hour to complete.

DPS troopers found a total of 13,651 violations between April 6 and April 12 on vehicles exiting the ports of entry.

“The Texas Department of Public Safety is committed to enforcing compliance with safety standards and one of our primary functions is to ensure Texas roadways are safe for all Texans and visitors to our great state. For security reasons, the department does not discuss operational specifics.”

Approximately 21 percent of Texas highway fatal crashes involve commercial vehicles, the official stated.

DPS officials admit they have not found any drug or human cargo during these inspections. However, DPS troopers and U.S. Border Patrol agents frequently find illicit drugs and human smuggling cargo during traffic stops and at immigration checkpoints, as regularly reported by Breitbart. Many of these are in trucks with customs seals still intact.

In a video tweeted by Democrat gubernatorial candidate Robert Francis “Beto” O’Rourke, the candidate claims that DPS troopers are “unable to actually look at the cargo to see if there is any trafficking of illegal drugs or human beings for that matter.”

DPS officials say statements like this are not correct. The troopers routinely inspect the interior of the trailers to ensure proper safety measures are being followed. The official said troopers would mostly likely find humans being smuggled in the trailers unless they were sealed inside cargo containers. Troopers do inspect the trailer for contraband.