TUCSON – U.S. Customs and Border Protection has issued an advisory warning travelers of delays due to increase in asylum seekers at the Douglas Port. The delays are caused by vehicle lane closures due to the influx.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), “other Arizona ports of entry earlier this week experienced this same issue in which asylum seekers without proper documentation attempted to evade inspection and cause disruption to normal operations. This resulted in lane closures and increased wait times.”
The Port of Nogales experienced travel delays on Tuesday evening after vehicle lane had to be closed. Vehicle lanes approaching the United States from Mexico were reduced at both DeConcini and Mariposa crossings following a significant increase of asylum seekers, without proper documentation, attempted to evade inspection by running through vehicle lanes disrupting normal operations.
The Government of Mexico is partnering with CBP and will increase their presence and enforcement efforts to prevent the incursions from occurring.
“Non-compliance with proper procedures overwhelms the ports of entry and jeopardizes the safety and security of our employees and public,” stated Guadalupe Ramirez, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, in a press release. “We will not allow ports to be overrun, and are prepared for large groups and caravans attempting to violate our security measures.”
CBP officials noted that the enforcement measures could impact holiday season travel and commerce, bust assert that the security measures may be necessary.
According to CBP, mass incursion attempts at the ports of entry have occurred before and in some instance they “were used as diversions by criminal organizations attempting to smuggle illicit items across the border.”