United States Customs and Border Protection closed down a processing facility for illegal aliens near San Diego, California, after the number of apprehensions at the southern border plummeted.
The facility was opened in early 2023 and was able to hold roughly 500 illegal aliens, according to a Thursday report from Fox News.
Customs and Border Protection Assistant Commissioner of Public Affairs Hilton Beckham confirmed to Fox that the agency has seen an “unprecedented drop in apprehensions of illegal aliens,” a result of “recent executive actions” from President Donald Trump.
“CBP is reducing the number of temporary, soft-sided processing facilities where illegal aliens have been held in specific locations along the southwest border,” Beckham added.
“CBP recently closed soft-sided processing facilities in Texas and Arizona, and CBP has now closed yet another soft-sided processing facility in San Diego,” the statement confirmed.
“The U.S. Border Patrol has full capability to manage the detention of apprehended aliens in USBP’s permanent facilities.”
Beckham added that the “manpower and other resources” previously allocated to the facilities “will be redirected toward other priorities and will speed CBP’s progress in gaining operational control over the southwest border.”
Fox News reported that workers were seen dismantling the San Diego facility Wednesday.
NEW: After closing soft-sided facilities in Texas and Arizona, CBP is now tearing down another soft-side facility in Otay Mesa, near San Diego, citing the record low number of illegal crossings under the new Trump admin.
CBP says they are no longer needed. Statement via… pic.twitter.com/vF1RBL5qEo
— Bill Melugin (@BillMelugin_) March 20, 2025
The development indeed occurs as executive actions from Trump have led to plummeting numbers of border encounters.
Border Patrol recorded some 8,300 apprehensions of illegal aliens in February, according to a report from Axios.
That’s the lowest month for illegal immigration seen in decades.
There were more than 130,000 encounters in both February 2023 and February 2024, during the Biden administration.
Trump himself has noted the positive development, attributing the trend to his actions.
“The month of February, my first full month in Office, had the LOWEST number of Illegal Immigrants trying to enter our Country in History – BY FAR!,” he wrote earlier this month on Truth Social.
“There were only 8,326 apprehensions of Illegals by Border Patrol at the U.S. – Mexico Border, all of whom were quickly ejected from our Nation or, when necessary, prosecuted for crimes against the United States of America,” Trump added.
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“This means that very few people came – The Invasion of our Country is OVER,” he continued. “In comparison, under Joe Biden, there were 300,000 Illegals crossing in one month, and virtually ALL of them were released into our Country.”
Trump warned that those trying to enter illegally “will face significant criminal penalties and immediate deportation.”
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