U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently opened a new temporary holding facility in Tornillo-Guadalupe, Texas in response to a recent surge in illegal border crossings by migrants along the southwest border of the United States.
The facility, housed at the CBP Tornillo-Guadalupe Port of Entry, can hold up to 500 people and will be in place for 30 days pending any changes in the number of people arriving at the ports or crossing the border. Migrants will be held until their subsequent transfer to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“In addition to securing our borders and enforcing our immigration laws, CBP is committed to treating all people in our facilities humanely,” said Hector Mancha, director of the El Paso Field Office. “CBP’s officers and agents are rising to this challenge with professionalism while maintaining efficient border operations.”
The temporary facility will offer overflow processing for unaccompanied children and family units prior to their transfer to ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO). Due to ICE ERO constraints, some individuals may be required to stay in processing for up to 72 hours.
CBP is currently working in conjunction with many of the migrants’ countries of origin to discourage potential illegal border crossers from coming into the United States.
“Our message to people thinking about crossing our borders illegally remains: Don’t risk your lives,” said Jeffrey Self, chief of the El Paso Sector. “Smugglers are not your friends. Don’t put your lives in their hands.”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of the nation’s borders at and between the official ports of entry.