TIJUANA, BC.- The reform to the Customs Law that came into effect in 2026 not only modified operational processes in Mexican foreign trade; it also altered the logic under which authorities, customs agents, carriers, logistics integrators and IMMEX companies – maquiladora and export manufacturing companies with a special customs regime in the country – interact .

Under a renewed regulatory environment – for importers, exporters and their logistics chain – marked by greater documentary requirements, reinforced traceability and a new approach to compliance , the participants in the panel “Customs, compliance and risks in increasingly demanding borders”, held during the ETYL Cali-Baja 2026 of Grupo T21, agreed that the logistics chain is currently facing one of its most complex moments in decades.

Moderating the discussion, Héctor Landeros, partner at HXLA Customs & Trade , argued that the major challenge lies in the new paradigm that attempts to balance trade facilitation and customs control . However, he cautioned that the authorities still don’t seem to fully understand how to achieve both objectives simultaneously. “Facilitation is an act in which I (the government), as customs, allow goods to flow while still maintaining control,” he explained, noting that risk management should be the mechanism for distinguishing compliance profiles and avoiding widespread overregulation.

This paradigm shift was evident in the operational experience of IMMEX companies. Gabriela Fernández, Trade & Logistics Manager at TACNA Services , described the radical transformation that foreign trade has undergone in the last 25 years, from improvised operations with Excel spreadsheets and radio communication, to a hyperconnected ecosystem where traceability has become a regulatory requirement . “Before, you’d say ‘bless’ to the driver and you’d never know if he’d actually crossed the border,” she recalled.

However, technological advancements have brought new obligations that, from her perspective, have significantly increased the pressure on companies. The executive pointed out that one of the most sensitive issues is the new requirement to share sensitive information related to contracts, labor costs, and production processes, something that has generated particular concern among foreign companies operating under shelter schemes . “What guarantee can you give them that all this information we’re uploading tomorrow won’t be hacked and shared with the competition?” she asked.

Fernández also warned that the regulatory impact is not uniform . While large companies have the capacity to invest in technological infrastructure, automation, and servers, small and medium-sized enterprises face real difficulties in complying. “Small businesses are praying and crying that they don’t get audited because it’s truly difficult for them to comply,” he stated, explaining that many don’t even have sufficiently structured processes to generate documents like waybills or maintain robust traceability systems.

Furthermore, the pressure no longer falls solely on importers and exporters. Jacinto Romero, general director of the Romero Galaviz Customs Agency , maintained that the new environment has transformed the customs broker into a kind of “compliance officer” obligated not only to review documentation but also to verify its authenticity and substance. “We have just been given the responsibility of verifying and confirming that all the documents the client gives us are indeed genuine,” he explained.

The problem, he added, is that the new regulations are significantly increasing the administrative and technological burden on logistics providers. He even revealed that recent regulatory changes already require photographs of offices, machinery, and products, which increases the need for information storage and data transmission in ever-shorter timeframes. “ Just -in -time is becoming increasingly difficult and increasingly expensive,” he concluded .

Romero also anticipated that the real impact is only just beginning, due to the growing capacity of authorities to cross-reference information between agencies such as Mexico’s National Customs Agency (ANAM) and the Tax Administration Service (SAT) . From his perspective, the next step will be much more aggressive and automated electronic audits 

Meanwhile, Adrián Salinas Rangel, VP of Enterprise Sales Intermodal at STG Logistics , explained that logistics integrators have been forced to strengthen internal controls and validation mechanisms to avoid errors that could lead to delays or penalties at the border. “We must always be very vigilant, stay up-to-date with the information, and share it with the client,” he stated.

For Salinas, the central problem is that digitization and automated data matching by the authorities virtually eliminate the margin for documentary inconsistencies. Incorrect information can translate into operational delays , inspections, or direct impacts on the carrier. “If I or the client fails to provide certain information, the carrier could face problems at the border crossing,” he warned.

Speaking from the trucking industry, Alfonso Esquer Millán, vice president of the Northwest region of the National Chamber of Freight Transportation (Canacar) , described a scenario where the loss of productivity is beginning to become a severe financial risk. He explained that crossing times for trucking are increasing, while operating costs remain under commercial pressure . “What we used to sell for a certain amount of money for a two-hour trip, people now want to buy for the same price in four hours or more of service,” he stated.

The transport leader was even more critical, pointing out that the new regulatory approach seems to be based on a presumption of guilt toward the private sector. “When they made the rule, they thought we were all fraudsters,” he stated, noting that fines and liabilities have grown disproportionately compared to the actual profit margins of the transport industry.

Beyond sectoral differences, the panel revealed a common concern: the speed at which new regulatory requirements are advancing contrasts sharply with the operational and technological capacity of much of the logistics chain to adapt. In this tension between control and trade facilitation , the risk is that the Mexican border will end up becoming an increasingly bureaucratic, costly, and slow space for those who do seek to comply.

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This figure marked a historic record for the monthly dollar value of cargo moved between these countries, according to BTS’s cross-border cargo data program.

In March 2025, trucks moved $94.2 billion in cargo , a 9.5% increase compared to March 2024. According to the US agency, $67.5 billion with Canada and $77.3 billion with Mexico were transported by road.

“Trucks transport more than 60% of surface trade along the northern and southern land borders. Among major transportation modes, such as rail, air, and sea, road transport is the most efficient and cost-effective way to ship goods. For cross-border shipments, it offers faster transit times compared to rail, which involves longer routes and multiple handling points,” BTS noted.

In this regard, the Laredo crossing handled $30.5 billion in the third month of 2025, representing a 12.4% increase compared to March 2024.

“Laredo’s location provides the most direct route between major industrial and populated areas on both sides. It is close to manufacturing centers like Monterrey and Guadalajara. Laredo also maintains a robust transportation infrastructure, including highways, bridges (i.e., global trade and solidarity with Colombia), rail yards, and pre-clearance processing facilities,” he explained.

The agency indicated that computers, electronic products such as semiconductors, and mechanical auto parts were the main basic inputs in U.S. merchandise trade with Canada and Mexico.

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Last February, the international crossings of Laredo, El Paso, and Otay Mesa were the main ports for the movement of truck-borne cargo between the United States and Mexico, while Detroit, Port Huron, and International Falls are the most important rail ports for freight flows.

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), the most mobile cargo on land during the second month of the year was computer parts, electrical machinery, and vehicle spare parts.

While for the railroad, they were vehicles, beverages and machinery, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) agency specified .

The BTS reported that freight across various modes of transportation between the United States and Mexico totaled $68.4 billion during the second half of the year, a 2% increase compared to February 2024.

The agency also reported that cross-border trade in the North American region continued to show growth last February, closing the period with a 2.1% increase compared to the same month in 2024.

This translates into $131.6 billion in cross-border cargo moved by all modes of transport.

Trucks moved merchandise valued at $86.6 billion, up 3.9% year-over-year.

While $15.1 billion of goods traveled via rail, 11.7% less than in February 2024.

Pipelines carried $10 billion of cargo, up 23.1% year-over-year, ships carried $7.7 billion of cargo, down 22.9%, and air transport moved $4.8 billion of cargo , up 4.8% from the same period last year.

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The Laredo border port is one of the fundamental pillars of trade between Mexico and the United States, consolidating itself as the land port with the highest volume of commercial exchange in North America, due to its strategic location on the border between Texas and Tamaulipas, although on the Mexican side it also connects with Nuevo León,which positions it as an essential logistics node for global supply chains.

This port not only facilitates 60% of trade between Texas and Mexico , but is also responsible for nearly 40% of total trade between Mexico and the United States , handling products ranging from industrial manufactures to consumer goods.

According to data from the United States Customs and Border Protection Office (CBP) , Laredo processes between 15,000 and 20,000 truck crossings daily, representing an annual commercial value of more than 300 billion dollars.

Alma L. Saldaña Cruz, Marketing Manager of Port Laredo , highlighted in an interview that these numbers underline the relevance of the border port not only for the regional economy, but for the economic integration of North America.

“Commerce in Port Laredo not only connects two countries, it connects industries and communities in a unique model of economic interdependence,” he said.

The Laredo border port has a robust infrastructure that includes four international bridges : the World Trade Bridge, the Colombia-Solidaridad Bridge, the Juárez-Lincoln Bridge and the Bridge of the Americas. Of these, the World Trade Bridge is the main one for cargo transportation, equipped with multiple lanes and advanced technological systems that allow for streamlined vehicular flow.

Technological innovations include dynamic scales that weigh trucks in motion, reducing waiting times without compromising accuracy.

High and low radiation X-ray inspection systems are also used , which eliminate the need for manual inspections in many cases, optimizing safety and efficiency.

Additionally, Port Laredo has more than 53 million square feet of warehouse space spread across nearly 60 industrial parks , facilitating the handling and distribution of goods.

On the other hand, its airport, with 24/7 operations, complements the needs of air trade, offering dual cargo inspection for exports to Mexico and other international markets.

The adoption of cutting-edge technologies is not only limited to physical infrastructure, but also to operational processes.

The FAST ( Free and Secure Trade ) program , part of the CTPAT initiative, allows certified companies to cross more quickly by ensuring high security standards in their supply chains.

Jerry Maldonado, president of the Laredo Motor Carrier Association (LMCA) , told T21 that Port Laredo is an innovation laboratory for the United States government.

“New technologies are tested here before being implemented elsewhere, because the volume of traffic allows us to identify problems and solutions quickly,” he explained.

Port Laredo is in a strategic expansion phase to meet the demands of projected commercial growth.

According to Maldonado, cargo volume will increase by an average of 5% to 7% annually over the next five years.

To respond to this growth, significant investments are being made in infrastructure, such as the expansion of the World Trade Bridge , which will increase its capacity by 1,500 daily crossings.

This project, which includes environmental studies and urban planning, is expected to be completed in December 2027.

Additionally, new access roads are being developed to ease traffic congestion in Laredo’s urban areas and facilitate more efficient flow to the international bridges.

Economic and social impact

The impact of Port Laredo goes beyond the economic, as the port generates thousands of direct and indirect jobs in the region , strengthening sectors such as transportation, logistics and commerce.

According to research from the Texas A&M Transportation Institute , each day of delay at the border crossing can cost businesses millions of dollars due to the cumulative impact on supply chains.

“Efficiency in Port Laredo is not just a benefit for carriers, it is an economic driver that affects the entire region,” Maldonado said.

Port Laredo is not only an example of logistics efficiency, but also a model of long-term strategic planning, and investments in technology, infrastructure and security programs reflect a commitment to remain competitive in an ever-evolving business environment.

“The port is vital to North America’s trade and economy. Our challenge is to anticipate the future, investing today in solutions that will allow us to continue leading tomorrow,” said Maldonado.

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Following the contraction in economies and the closure of non-essential activities due to COVID-19, in recent years there has been an upturn in the movement of goods and merchandise due to the post-pandemic effects, as well as the increase in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) stimulated by the relocation of manufacturing centers ( nearshoring ) to Mexico.

However, over the past year there has been a slowdown in trade with the United States and a halt to FDI. Today, both the national economy and that of our northern neighbor are undergoing a process of readjustment, which has caused a contraction in the movement of goods between the two countries. Although the causes are multifactorial, the recent elections in Mexico and the upcoming ones in the United States are key to observing a readjustment in economic dynamism.

BBVA Research points out that the figures accumulated through the first half of 2024 reveal that Mexico’s total trade balance was five billion dollars (mdd), a smaller deficit than that reached during the first half of the previous year by seven billion dollars, as a result of a total of exports of 299 billion dollars and imports of 305 billion dollars.

This phenomenon is rooted in the economic contraction caused by uncertainty over electoral issues. In addition, protectionist tendencies have been declared by both the candidates for the presidency of the United States and the Secretary of Economy in Mexico, Marcelo Ebrard, in the context of the upcoming review of the Treaty between Mexico, the United States and Canada (T-MEC), according to Berta Martínez Cisneros, academic coordinator of the degree in International Logistics at CETYS University, Mexicali campus .

“At this moment, production is being recalibrated worldwide, markets have changed as have consumer expectations, perhaps we will see a reconfiguration, but I think it is a mix of factors that are generating this. Therefore, it is expected that there will be less demand for freight transport to the United States, which may affect Mexican companies. However, the effect would not occur this year but at the beginning of 2025,” the specialist shares.

Given the complex outlook, Martínez Cisneros admits that there is likely to be an imbalance in the auto transport industry. It is worth remembering that BBVA estimates indicate that the slow dynamism of consumption and investment could impact economic activity in 2025, registering a growth of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of 1.0 percent. For its part, Deloitte predicts that for next year the GDP of the United States will be at 1.5 percent.

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In the face of the nearshoring boom (migration of production lines to consumer centers), in which companies begin to expand and relocate their operations in Mexico, the challenges that the country faces in establishing companies, such as infrastructure and security, are often highlighted, but what happens with cross-border transportation to the main destination, which is the United States?

In the webinar Capacity and Security: The Keys to Transforming Border Trade organized by VAX Solutions, Eduardo Chaim, its Commercial Director, highlighted that Mexico has been characterized as a country with highly specialized industry , in addition to the fact that exports to the United States have increased considerably, which makes it relevant to strengthen cross-border transport.

In context, Mexico’s trade balance with North America showed a surplus in 2023 , with 85.7% in exports (508,193 million dollars (mdd)) and 44.9% in imports (268,561 mdd), in addition to Mexico displacing China as the United States’ first trading partner in 2023 , with a surplus in the trade balance in favor of Mexico of 235 billion dollars.

“It is a great challenge for transport chains, as it represents an imbalance in transport services to create this capacity to meet the demand for transport, because the increase in volume will not be equal to the installed cargo capacity,” said Chaim.

On the other hand, the specialist indicated that the lack of tractor-trailer operators is another important challenge within land transportation, especially because in Mexico there is a shortage of approximately 60 thousand drivers .

In this regard, he explained that measures must be taken to provide operators with the conditions necessary to make this work more attractive.

“We know that a fleet of 60,000 trucks with 60,000 operators will not suddenly appear to balance demand. This is why it is important to generate capacity and solid relationships between suppliers,” he said.

Chaim pointed out that VAX developed corridors to strengthen and offer strategic business for all carriers through a contract infrastructure, to link one company with another to generate greater capacity and meet demand.

In addition, in order to protect operators, the company has a security team that develops safe transit protocols.

“I believe that the most important thing as a pillar of the transport chain is the life of the operators, the safety and integrity of the fifth wheel drivers, tractor-trailers, and small units. We must make our users and clients understand that we must respect transit times to maintain the integrity of our people,” said Eduardo Chaim.

He also indicated that in order to have capacity, they have a solid network of suppliers , with specialized transportation in different industries.

On the other hand, Sergio Nava, Director of Logistics Operations at VAX, added that understanding the client and their needs generates a value proposition in the business, since “it is not only about filling loads and deliveries here, these are your routes, but really looking for that grain of rice of what is it that hurts you, what? What is it that is currently causing conflict in your operation? “

To foster dialogue on the opportunities presented by  nearshoring , Grupo T21 will organize the  Transportation and Logistics Meeting (ETYL)  on October 9 and 10 in Nuevo León. With the central theme “Maximizing logistics opportunities with  nearshoring ,” this event will bring together important industry leaders in Mexico. For more information, you can check all the details by clicking  here .

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