U.S. Customs and Border Protection want to alert the public that its officers continue to conduct Mobile Field Force drills at the international crossings in the Rio Grande Valley.
The federal agency released a statement and video on Friday showing the public what kind of drills they might see at the eight ports of entry crossings extending from Brownsville to Del Rio.
Authorities said CBP office of Field Operations is continuing to prepare for the potential arrival of thousands of people migrating to the United States through the Southwest border.
“The MFF training consists of practical exercises designed to train officers on CBP’s special response tactics,” said Director of Field Operations, David P. Higgerson, Laredo Field Office. “As they train to respond to any incident that may occur at the ports of entry, our priority is still the safety and security of the American people, international travelers, and our communities while facilitating legitimate trade and travel.”
The Border Patrol estimates it has apprehended about 1,000 or more migrants per day over the last two weeks. Customs and Border Protection is expected to release Fiscal Year 2019 year to date apprehensions statistics on Monday.
In its statement, CBP said is “continually assessing the capabilities of our facilities and has been making — and will continue to make — necessary preparations. Preparations include participating in operational readiness exercises and the mobilization of resources, as needed, to ensure the facilitation of lawful trade and travel.”
The influx of migrants over the past couple of weeks has prompted local non-profit organizations and churches to set up temporary shelters for them in Brownsville, Harlingen and McAllen.
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© 2019 The Brownsville Herald (Brownsville, Texas)
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