Local Customs and Border Protection work on filling in gaps

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - The local Customs and Border Protection (CBP) are working on filling in gaps of the border wall.

The gaps are located about two hours southwest of Yuma, and there are seven that need to be closed.

Border Patrol says it has to fill in the gaps because of how remote the area is. These gaps run for about 0.2 miles.

"The agents are out there every day, working in the areas where we have gaps that are being filled and in the areas where there are larger areas of desert further away from the border. There are agents continuing to work out there," said Fidel Cabrera, Special Operations Supervisor for the Yuma Sector Border Patrol.

While seven gaps may not seem like a lot, Yuma County Board of Supervisors Vice Chairman Jonathan Lines shares how this is still significant in helping border patrol.

"Anything that they can do to close up the border is one additional tool in the toolbox for Border Patrol, as far as closing up those gaps specifically, absolutely," said Lines.

Due to the gaps location, border patrol has faced some challenges while filling them in.

"The terrain and the climate obviously being in Yuma most people know it's not the most hospitable during the summer, temperatures can climb upwards of 120 degrees," said Cabrera.

According to the CBP website, border encounters in the Southwest have dropped from almost 190,000 to around 12,000 in a year.

CBP says the border wall is one of the many factors that has led to a decrease in illegal border crossings.