Arrests averaged around 330 per day last month, ’the lowest nationwide average apprehensions in CBP history,’ the agency said.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is shutting down some of the facilities that housed illegal immigrants, potentially saving the agency millions of dollars.
“Illegal border crossings have plummeted, leading to the closure of several temporary processing facilities along the southwest border,” the CBP said in a March 14 post on social media platform X.
UPDATE 🚨 Illegal border crossings have plummeted, leading to the closure of several temporary processing facilities along the southwest border. Each facility shutdown saves $5-$30M/month. More resources for border security, less taxpayer money spent.
— CBP (@CBP) March 13, 2025
➡️ https://t.co/tWoWFybXdF pic.twitter.com/TCl01jqLQh
“Each facility shutdown saves $5-$30M/month. More resources for border security, less taxpayer money spent.”
On Jan. 20, President Donald Trump issued a slew of presidential actions aimed at securing the border and tackling the influx of illegal immigrants.
These orders “led to historically low apprehensions” of illegals, and the CBP started “reducing the number of soft-sided facilities (SSFs) along the southwest land border during the first week of March,” the agency said in a March 13 statement.
SSFs are temporary, tent-like structures that include equipment such as electrical and lighting systems, ventilation, plumbing, air conditioning, and heating.
Nationwide apprehension of illegal immigrants averaged around 330 per day last month, “the lowest nationwide average apprehensions in CBP history.”
This was the first full month following Trump’s executive orders to secure U.S. borders. At the southwest border, daily apprehensions have fallen to below 300.
CBP plans to shut down SSFs in three locations in Texas—Donna, North Eagle Pass, and Laredo—and in Yuma and Tucson in Arizona. Other SSFs in El Paso, Texas, and San Diego will continue to operate.
Pete Flores, acting CBP commissioner, said the agency no longer needs many of the SSFs “as illegal aliens are being quickly removed.”
“The U.S. Border Patrol has full capability to manage the detention of apprehended aliens in its permanent facilities,“ he said. ”Manpower and other resources dedicated to temporary processing facilities will be redirected toward other priorities and will speed CBP’s progress in gaining operational control over the southwest border.”
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) commended CBP and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for the cost-cutting in a March 18 post on X, calling it an “excellent job.”
Excellent job by @CBP @Sec_Noem. These 21 contracts had a total ceiling value of ~$4.3B with total resulting savings of ~$600M. https://t.co/wnhHtTeFTZ
— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) March 18, 2025
By Jacob Burg and T.J. Muscaro
