LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS)—Talks between officials and protesters at the World Trade Bridge seem to work, as traffic continued to flow Thursday evening, November 14.

There had been much attention earlier this week after two days of protests were staged on the Mexican side of the port of entry in Nuevo Laredo.

Families of people who had gone missing were demanding answers from federal authorities in Mexico.

Local officials on both sides of the border, including Laredo’s Mayor, Dr. Victor Trevino, had been meeting to discuss resolving traffic issues that came as a result of those protests from Tuesday, November 12, and Wednesday, November 13.

According to Mayor Trevino, “As a contingency plan, the city worked with the Laredo Police Department and Mexican Customs to allow for the diversion of World Trade Bridge traffic to the Columbia-Solidarity Bridge. La Alcadesa Carmen Lilia Canturosas has been personally involved and engaged with the protesters to alleviate the situation. It appears as though traffic flow has improved as of this morning. As the number one port-of-entry in the U.S., these types of mitigation measures are necessary to avoid further disruption of international trade that flows at a rate of $1.2M per minute. We continue to work with both customs agencies and the international trade community in creating additional mitigation to reduce the amount of disruption.“

There have been no reports of any protests from Mexican media as of Thursday, November 14.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - A death investigation is launched following a man’s fall from a roof.

According to Laredo Police, the call came in around 11:30 a.m. on Friday by the 8500 block of San Gabriel Drive. When police arrived, they found a 27-year-old man who reportedly fell from a 20-foot roof.

The man was taken to the hospital in critical condition but was later pronounced dead.

The notification of next of kin is pending.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - Immigration at the border was a contentious issue before the presidential election, ending with President-elect Trump receiving the Border Patrol Union’s endorsement for his policies.

A 10% increase in pay and a $10k retention plan for existing Border Patrol agents may have paved the way for President-elect Trump’s victory among a specific demographic.

President of the Border Patrol Union, Hector Garza, claimed the border had been widely neglected under the Biden Administration.

Noting, “Our agents were overwhelmed on the border. We had a very serious crisis, we had been reassigned from conducting our border security duties to conducting a catch and release basically. I think that has been very difficult on our agents, but it also has been catastrophic for our border communities and our country.”

Garza expands that former President Trump had handed to the Biden Administration a secure border which proceeded to rapidly decline.

Despite criticisms, under the Biden-Harris Administration, a bipartisan bill had flourished intended to strengthen immigration and asylum laws.

The bill included billions in aid to decrease border crossings, gave the Department of Homeland Security the ability to shut down the border in the case of 4,000 migrants on average over seven days and raised the standards necessary to qualify for asylum in the United States.

However, it was quickly rejected by a Republican House majority after staunch criticism from President-elect Trump.

U.S. Congressman, Henry Cuellar, hopes that under President-elect Trump, efforts can be placed on coordinating with other countries to stop migrants before they reach the border.

Cuellar mentioned, “We should be deporting criminals, people that are not good for the U.S. Those people should have never gotten in and should be deported, number one. Number two, there are over one million individuals who have final deportation orders, which is when a judge says, ‘You’re not supposed to be here, you should leave the country.' They did not leave the country. those one million plus individuals should be deported.”

He [Cuellar] stated that this would be a more feasible strategy to handle illegal immigration, rather than mass deportations, something which he says ICE could not manage at their current capacity.

Cuellar added that on issues such as the border wall, he remains against it. He would rather focus efforts on securing more personnel and equipment to improve the work conditions of agents.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - The Laredo Police Department is looking for two people wanted in connection with a shooting that occurred on October 28 near the 3900 block of San Agustin.

Luis Javier Olguin, 33, and Jesus Alberto Fernandez, 32, each face three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Authorities have issued arrest warrants for both men, but they have not yet been found.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Olguin and Fernandez is urged to contact Laredo Crime Stoppers at (956) 727-TIPS. All calls will remain anonymous, and a reward of up to $1,000 may be offered for tips leading to an arrest.

The investigation is ongoing.

IRVING, Tex. (KGNS) - A man accused of kidnapping and assaulting a woman in Irving has been caught in Tyler, Texas, police said Thursday, November 14.

Patrick Francis Hoversten, a truck driver from Sonoma, California, was arrested on November 13 by Tyler police. He is now in the Smith County jail and will be moved to Irving soon.

The incident happened on November 10 at a business near SH-183 and Esters Road. Police say Hoversten, a white man in his 50s or 60s, forced a woman into a back room and attacked her.

Irving Police had issued a warrant and asked for help to find Hoversten, who was thought to be in the Laredo area. Authorities thanked the community and Tyler police for their help in catching him.

LAREDO, Tex. (KGNS) - For the second day in a row, protests on the Mexican side of the World Trade Bridge are causing traffic jams for drivers heading into Mexico. Laredo police reported that by 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, delays had stretched from Loop 20 to Interstate 35.

Due to the protests, all northbound commercial trucks are now being sent to the Colombia-Solidarity International Bridge. Drivers are being told to expect delays and use caution as traffic shifts to the alternate route.

Protesters Demand Answers

It’s not clear if these protests are linked to earlier ones. On Tuesday, November 12, protesters blocked access to the bridge around noon. Mexican news reports say the protesters are family members of missing persons. Some signs read, “Shut down for failing the victims,” asking for answers from officials.

Mayor’s Response to Traffic Issues

In response to the disruptions, Laredo Mayor Dr. Victor Treviño issued a statement:

“I appreciate the community’s patience with the commercial traffic congestion. This mitigation measure to divert some of the traffic to the Colombia Bridge is the solution being created for the interruption of commercial traffic on the World Trade Bridge by Mexican protesters. I have been in close contact and working closely with Alcaldesa Carmen Lilia Canturosas for a quick resolution to this matter.”

Officials are working to clear the traffic, but it’s unclear when things will return to normal.

Below is the original story:

Protests on the Mexican side of the World Trade Bridge are causing major traffic backups heading into Mexico for the second day in a row.

The Laredo Police Department reported that around 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 13, traffic delays extended westbound on Loop 20 and reached Interstate 35. Drivers are being warned to expect delays and use caution.

It’s unclear whether these protests are connected to previous demonstrations in the area.

On Tuesday, November 12, demonstrators blocked the entrances and exits to the bridge around noon. Mexican media reports that protesters, many holding signs, are family members of missing persons. The signs in Spanish read, “Shut down for failing the victims,” demanding answers from federal authorities in Mexico.

The situation is ongoing, and it’s unclear when the bridge will reopen fully to traffic.

IRVING, Tex. (KGNS) - Irving police are searching for a man accused of kidnapping and assaulting a woman. The suspect, Patrick Francis Hoversten from Sonoma, California, may be in the Laredo area.

Police say the incident happened on November 10 at a business near SH-183 and Esters Road. Hoversten, described as a white male in his 50s or 60s, allegedly forced a female worker into a back room and attacked her.

The police have issued a warrant for Hoversten, who is a truck driver.

If anyone knows where he is, please contact Investigator Hilton at (972) 721-2754 or email thilton@cityofirving.org. Tips can also be sent anonymously to IPDCrime tips@cityofirving.org.