TUCSON, Ariz. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection, along with the Department of Defense, will be conducting readiness exercises at the Port of Nogales in preparation for the migrant caravan, which may lead to a temporary suspension of port activities.
Over the next couple of weeks, teams of CBP officers, agents, and DoD personnel will be conducting tactical exercises that could potentially cause temporary delays to cross-border traffic.
“The temporary suspension of port operations may occur during the exercises, in support of Operation Secure Line. We ask the border communities to be patient and understanding while we train in order to protect travelers, caravan members, and our officers and agents from potential acts of violence,” said Acting Director of Field Operations Petra Horne.
With DoD’s support, CBP has been hardening the Morley, DeConcini, and Mariposa crossings with concertina wire, stacking conex boxes to act as barriers, and pre-positioning jersey barriers and barricades. In addition to infrastructure improvements, readiness exercises help strengthen border security and ensure the safety of the American people, the traveling public, CBP personnel, and local communities.
CBP continues to remind asylum seekers to present themselves at the ports of entry in an orderly manner to prevent delays in their processing. CBP officers responsible for local border crossings must put security and safety first while processing legitimate trade and travel into the United States.
Regardless of operational contingencies, CBP officers will ensure border security while conducting themselves in accordance with the highest standards of law enforcement.
For the latest information regarding CBP port operations in Arizona follow @CBPArizona on Twitter.
Travelers can monitor border wait times via https://bwt.cbp.gov/index.html or obtain the BWT app on smartphones via the Apple App Store and at Google Play. Wait times are updated hourly.
