Arizona port of entry to close due to huge numbers of asylum seekers, say officials

Workers at the remote Lukeville crossing with Mexico will process new arrivals instead of watching over vehicle and foot traffic

So many asylum seekers are crossing from Mexico into the United States around remote Lukeville, Arizona, that US officials say they will close the port of entry there so that the operations officials who watch over vehicle and pedestrian traffic going both ways can help border patrol agents detain and process the new arrivals.

The US Customs and Border Protection announced on Friday that the temporary closure of the crossing will start on Monday as officials grapple with changing migration routes that have overwhelmed border patrol agents stationed there. Arizona's US senators and governor called the planned closure unacceptable".