Hidden cross-border tunnel between US and Mexico to be sealed

A hidden cross-border tunnel between the US and Mexico used for smuggling is set to be sealed after discovery.

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A secret tunnel used to smuggle migrants and contraband between Mexico and the United States has been discovered and will be sealed, according to Mexican border authorities.

The 300-metre-long tunnel connects Ciudad Juarez in Mexico with El Paso, Texas, two neighbouring cities on either side of the US-Mexico border.

The tunnel, which was concealed in a storm sewer system, was only uncovered last week despite estimates suggesting it had taken over a year to construct.

Mexican officials have now launched an investigation to determine if local authorities were aware of the tunnel’s construction.

The tunnel, which was reinforced with wooden beams and equipped with lighting and ventilation, could have been built over a significant period of time, according to army officials.

The US Border Patrol discovered the tunnel on January 10 after removing a metal plate covering the entry point.

They immediately informed their Mexican counterparts about the find. The incident comes ahead of the US presidential inauguration of Donald Trump, who has pledged to ramp up deportations of illegal immigrants.

The issue of migration has long been a point of contention between the US and Mexico. In response to increasing diplomatic pressure from the US, Mexico has been conducting one of its largest migrant crackdowns to date.

Non-Mexican migrants are being detained and moved further away from the US border.

During his campaign, President Trump emphasised the need to secure the US-Mexico border and threatened to impose tariffs on Mexico unless the country did more to curb illegal immigration.

In response, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has called for the US to take stronger measures to prevent the illegal flow of weapons from the US into Mexico.

The discovery of the tunnel has intensified security on both sides of the border, signaling a tightening of enforcement measures ahead of the new US administration’s expected policy changes on immigration and border security.