“For months now, the quantity of migrants crossing the border has steadily increased to record-breaking numbers.”
AUSTIN, Texas (Texas Insider Report) — According to a U.S. Customs & Border Protection statement released late last week, the Customs & Border Protection's (CBP) El Paso Office will today begin the temporarily suspension of cargo processing at the Bridge of the Americas – where cargo processing is typically available between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday through Friday – in order to allow CBP Officers to process a growing wave of migrants who are arriving between official ports of entry,
The temporarily suspension of cargo processing at the Bridge of the Americas in South El Paso was announced to facilitate Border Officer's ability to assist Border Patrol Agents processing of illegal immigrants, particularly processing non-citizens family units and arriving unaccompanied children.
During the suspension, truckers are asked to use the Ysleta, Santa Teresa, and Tornillo cargo facilities in El Paso.
Early last week, U.S. Customs & Border Protection closed its Ped West facility – a Pedestrian Border Crossing at the San Ysidro Port of Entry – so officers could assist with migrant processing there. Officials said the move was necessary because processing facilities in the San Diego area had been operating over capacity.
The Department of Homeland Security last week released 100s of asylum-seekers who were recently processed at Border Patrol stations in Southern California and other locations along the U.S.-Mexican Border.
In Arizona, Congressman Juan Ciscomani (right, R-AZ) – whose district stretches to the U.S.-Mexico Border – said border agents and officers there are being overwhelmed, and local border communities overrun because of a recent wave of immigrants.
The Tucson Sector saw more than 2,000 illegal crossings on Tuesday alone – including a large group of single men from Africa,
Following the announcement of the street releases on Wednesday, the congressman sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas highlighting the devastating impacts the crisis has had on his district – and urging action from the agency.
“For months now, the quantity of migrants crossing the border has steadily increased to record-breaking numbers,” said Ciscomani, sounding the alarm on new street releases happening in Arizona and along the nation's southern border.
“We have now seen days with more than 10,000 migrants encountered. Today, there have been over 200 migrants released onto the streets of southeastern Arizona border communities in the Tucson Sector alone.
“Our rural communities are not equipped to deal with this influx,” said the Congressman's letter.
“Our local border communities should not be forced to bear the burden of this administration’s failed border policies.”
“I have personally heard from local elected officials of both parties regarding their concern over these actions.
"This is not a partisan issue – you must stop politicizing our border and start prioritizing it,” Cong. Ciscomani said.
