Temporary processing facility to hold 500 and include playground

Yuma Sector Border Patrol confirmed that instead of the temporary processing center holding nearly 1,000 detainees, the facility will only hold 500 and have a playground inside.

The temporary facility, being described by agents as soft-sided, will be an addition to the Yuma station.

This will bring the total holding capacity to about 900, between the Yuma, Wellton, and Blythe stations.

Agents said the facility will help them spread out the detainees they have in their custody.

“Just a couple of weeks ago we were seeing over 16,000 illegal aliens in our custody. We are severely over capacity and this facility will help us alleviate some of that pressure on our border patrol stations,” said Agent Jose Garibay, Yuma Sector Border Patrol.

Agents added this additional processing facility does not mean they will be able to house those in their custody for a longer period of time.

They said if the situation worsens, they will reassess what is needed to handle the trend along the southern border.

In May, Yuma Sector agents apprehended 5,972 people.

That number is about 15 times the capacity of the three stations only meant to hold 410 people

An official date for the facility to be up and running is still unknown.