LUKEVILLE, Ariz. — U.S. Customs and Border Patrol is evaluating how long the Lukeville Port of Entry closure will last on a day-to-day basis, according to a spokesperson.
As of Wednesday, there's no reopening date in sight.
VERSIÓN EN ESPAÑOL: CBP: La reapertura de la garita de Lukeville dependerá de los cruces de migrantes
"It's been quite a change, that's for sure," Daisy Smith, a Rocky Point business owner, said.
Smith told 12News she typically crosses from Mexico into Arizona through the Lukeville Port of Entry twice a month.
Since the port of entry closed on Dec. 4, she and other travelers are forced to consider alternative routes through San Luis and Nogales.
“It is a longer ride, especially going to like San Luis, that’s kind of unfamiliar," Smith said.
A CBP spokesperson told 12News they needed extra resources to handle a surge in migrants at the Arizona-Mexico border.
Agents assigned to the Lukeville Port of Entry were redirected to assist with apprehensions.
“They’ve been assisting us with transport and moving people off the line in an expedited manner," Border Patrol Agent Martin Whelan said.
Whelan wasn't able to say exactly how much quicker they're able to move people with Lukeville's help, but he said the need for extra agents is still significant.
“It’s a serious challenge for us, and these callous smugglers, like I said before, are just leading these people out to some of the roughest terrain in on our southern border and sometimes these people have to walk for miles before they can even come in contact with us," Whelan said.
A CBP spokesperson said when fewer migrants are crossing, they'll look at reopening the Lukeville Port of Entry.
"It will just depend on the operations out there and the need that we have," Whelan said.
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