Border Patrol agents sending migrant families across the border amid pandemic

YUMA, Ariz. ( KYMA, KECY ) - In the middle of the global pandemic, federal agencies like U.S. Customs and Border Protection are changing its way of operating during the outbreak.

“That allows us to cut down on the number of people we have in custody and stem the spread of COVID-19 coming across our borders," said Jose Garibay, an Agent with the Yuma Sector Border Patrol.

In a statement on CBP's website it states, " To help prevent the introduction of COVID-19 into border facilities and into the United States, persons subject to the order will not be held in congregate areas for processing and instead will immediately be expelled to their country of last transit. In the event a person cannot be returned to the country of last transit, CBP works with interagency partners to secure expulsion to the person’s country of origin and hold the person for the shortest time possible."

“We will hold them in custody until a plane becomes available and then we will fly them back to their country of origin," said Agent Garibay.

If and when agents on the ground apprehend people crossing into the country, they will not be held in custody. Gairbay confirms that over 200 people have been sent back to their countries since the start of the policy.

There are less than ten people in all three border patrol's centers, including the temporary processing center. “And not allowing them to be congregating in our stations or processing centers waiting for them to be processed for their cases to be adjudicated," said Agent Garibay.

Federal agents said they have the authority to immediately move them back to the last country they came through.

“So now with the number of people we are catching, it's more manageable and it allows us to easily expel these individuals under title 42," said Agent Garibay.

Agent Garibay tells News 11 that given the current situation of the coronavirus around the world, title 42 will continue until further notice.