LUKEVILLE, Ariz. (Border Report) — U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials are warning people returning from Mexico through the Lukeville Port of Entry in Southern Arizona to expect longer delays than normal. CBP has announced “reduced vehicle processing capacity” starting this week.
The agency is reassigning officers who normally work at the port of entry to help Border Patrol agents apprehend and process asylum-seekers. This is in response to the ongoing wave of migrants arriving throughout the southern border.
“The U.S. is continuing to see increased levels of migrant encounters at the Southwest Border, fueled by smugglers peddling disinformation to prey on vulnerable individuals and encourage migration,” a CBP statement said. “As we respond with additional resources and apply consequences for unlawful entry, the migration trends shift as well.”
Despite long delays reported on Monday, border commuters said they waited no more than 20 minutes to cross the border on Tuesday morning. Maria, who lives in Sonoyta, Mexico just south of the Lukeville Port of Entry, said she didn’t think longer delays would become the norm.
She believes long lines might evolve on weekends when tourists return from Mexico, but not during the week. At a duty-free shop just across the border, one of the workers said he was worried shoppers from Mexico might get the wrong impression about long delays to cross the border and not come to shop.
“They’re going to think it’s going to take two hours to get across the border, so that could be a problem,” he said.
For now, hours of operation will remain the same at the Lukeville Port of Entry, from 6 a.m.-8 p.m.
Source: KTSM 9 News
