CBP Closes Temporary Processing Facilities after Historic Low Encounter Number Make Them Unnecessary

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has begun reducing the number of temporary soft-sided illegal immigrant processing facilities this month, as record-low border crossings and quick removals have rendered them unnecessary, the agency’s acting head said on Thursday.

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“CBP no longer has a need for (the temporary processing facilities) as illegal aliens are being quickly removed. The U.S. Border Patrol has full capability to manage the detention of apprehended aliens in its permanent facilities,” said acting CBP commissioner Pete Flores.

He added that the resources and manpower dedicated to operating the temporary facilities will be reallocated to other aspects of border security and will aid in achieving the president’s goal of 100 percent operational control of the southern border.

The Thursday announcement claimed that each closed facility will save taxpayers between $5 and $30 million per month.

Facilities in Donna, North Eagle Pass, and Laredo, Texas, will close down, along with those in Yuma and Tucson, Arizona, though temporary facilities in California and El Paso, Texas, will remain open for the time being.

CBP did not specify why some temporary facilities will remain open, as they emphasized that reduced border crossings and swift removals have allowed permanent facilities to cope with all processing.

The number of contracts with medical providers has also been reduced as fewer are needed, given the drastically diminished number of border crossings.

[RELATED: Border Patrol Apprehensions Reach Lowest Average In History]

According to CBP, the average number of border apprehensions per day in February, the first full month of President Donald Trump’s administration, was only 330, the lowest nationwide number of apprehensions in CBP history.