Yuma Border Patrol takes down temporary processing facility

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - Yuma Border Patrol recently dismantled a temporary processing facility. They say there was no longer a need for it since they are seeing historically low numbers of crossings.

Border Patrol says the facility was set up in 2021 due to the high number of people illegally coming across the border.

"The original purpose of that facility is temporary detention, so we were holding them there until they were taken to the next step of the immigration process," said Yuma Sector Border Patrol Agent Fidel Cabrera.

At the time it was dismantled, the facility had a holding capacity of a little over 1,300 people.

"At our peak, during that time frame, the 2021 to 2024, we're arresting approximately 1500 people a day which are our hard sided facility are not capable of holding," said Agent Cabrera.

They say dismantling the facility also saves a lot of money.

"The facility here in Yuma was costing approximately $16 million a month, and the benefits of it being gone...we have our agents being able to deploy out to the field and conduct law enforcement operations," said Cabrera.