Travelers were forced to cross through Nogales, a three-hour drive to the east, or San Luis, a two-hour drive to the west, during the closure.
LUKEVILLE, Ariz. — The Lukeville Port of Entry will reopen on Thursday after a 30-day shutdown, a senior Biden Administration official told reporters Tuesday.
The closure was prompted by a historic migrant surge in the Southwest border's Tucson sector. Customs and Border Patrol agents who staff the crossing have been diverted to processing migrants.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: Reabre la garita de Lukeville el 4 de enero
RELATED: A US delegation to meet with Mexican government for talks on the surge of migrants at border
Businesses on both sides of the border have suffered. The shutdown more than doubled travel time from Phoenix to the tourist town of Puerto Penasco, or Rocky Point, leaving it virtually deserted during a typically busy holiday season.
Travelers were forced to cross into or out of the U.S. through Nogales, a three-hour drive to the east, or San Luis, a two-hour drive to the west.
The Lukeville crossing is used mainly by passenger traffic. Senior administration officials also announced that the Nogales Morley gate would reopen Thursday.
"The closing of a port is not something we take lightly," a senior administration official said, speaking on condition of anonymity. "We anticipate the (migrant) encounter numbers will continue to fluctuate."
Lukeville is in Border Patrol's Tucson sector, which was the single busiest region for border crossings in October. Staffing cuts to legal trade and travel are the latest response to demands for processing people who cross the border illegally, often to seek asylum, the Associated Press reported.
An average of 3,140 people in vehicles and 184 pedestrians entered the U.S. daily in Lukeville during October, according to the U.S. Transportation Department’s latest figures.
The Border
Get the latest news and updates on the 12News coverage of the U.S./Mexico border.
"entry" - Google News
January 03, 2024 at 06:59AM
https://ift.tt/mBq05JD
Lukeville Port of Entry on Arizona-Mexico border to reopen Jan. 4 - 12news.com KPNX
"entry" - Google News
https://ift.tt/bBwSF6g
https://ift.tt/aTVQvSM
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "Lukeville Port of Entry on Arizona-Mexico border to reopen Jan. 4 - 12news.com KPNX"
Post a Comment