Exclusive look into Yuma’s Central Process Center for Migrants

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - On Friday, we got a special look inside the Migrant Processing Center in Yuma. This is the first time a reporter has been granted access inside the facility since it opened in 2021.

The center is over 200,000 square feet which is equivalent to about three-and-a-half NFL football fields can can hold up to about 1,800 migrants.

Inside the facility there were 11 pods where men are on one side, while women and children are held separately. Each pod offering all sorts of snacks and basic necessities including baby formula and different types of onsite services including Medical and Legal.

We weren't allowed to record inside, to protect the identity of the migrants, but inside we saw a total of about 60 migrants at the center.

Border Patrol says migrants typically stay here for a couple of days.

"I don't know, it just depeneds, there is so much varieties of the different types of processes that they may go through…We like the minimal time as possible," said Yuma Sector Chief Patrol Agent Sean McGoffin.

There's also been a decrease in Migrant Encounters in the Yuma Sector.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection says in July agents saw a little over 2,000 migrants, about 1,300 less than the month of June.

This fiscal year, they have seen a little over 50,000 migrants, that is about a third compared to this time last year.

Chief McGoffin says they have still kept busy by helping other city's along the border.

"We've had over 51,000 people from other sectors come here to be processed in our central processing center…We're now processing people from San Diego and El Centro current, but we are doing our absolute best wherever we can," said Yuma Sector Chief Patrol Agent Sean McGoffin.

And through all the logistics they have stayed focused on their number one mission.

"To secure the border and make sure that we have a border that we are making sure that terrorists and terrorist related weapons do not cross that border or criminals do not cross that border," said Yuma Sector Chief Patrol Agent Sean McGoffin.

The chief also added since the expansion of the center, they have been able to get about 300 agents back in the field because they currently have around 600 contractors working in the facility.