U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has noted that from April 1-26, its officers encountered 1 thousand 632 inadmissible individuals at border crossings along the California-Mexico border compared to 1 thousand and 81 inadmissible individuals in the same period in March, an increase of 51%.

According to the agency, the majority of these individuals are citizens of countries other than Mexico.

CBP assured that these increases in illegal crossings are affecting its operations at the various border crossings, as resources must be dedicated to securing the port of entry and processing these individuals, repositioning resources that would otherwise be dedicated to critical passenger and cargo processing, leading to increased wait times for travelers.

Despite this, CBP officials said they are committed to protecting the border while safely facilitating legitimate trade and travel to the U.S. country.

On the other hand, they mentioned that they continue to reach out to Mexican authorities to coordinate and ensure their assistance. "Our combined efforts to address illegal crossings in both countries are necessary to allow us to rededicate the resources necessary to maintain the flow of legitimate traffic," a statement said.

CBP officials reminded travelers that their borders, both north and south, remain restricted to essential crossings only.

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