Rep. Vargas Statement on Secretary Mayorkas and CBP’s Plans to Pull Agents from the Busiest Land Port of Entry
Media Contact: Anzueth Barela | (202) 225-8045 | Anzueth.Barela@mail.house.gov
SAN DIEGO, CA (December 8, 2023) — Today, Rep. Juan Vargas (CA-52), issued the following statement in response to CBP’s plans to close PedWest:
“I urgently call upon Secretary Mayorkas to rescind CBP’s plans to pull agents from the busiest land port of entry in the Western Hemisphere. The San Ysidro Port of Entry is the most utilized gateway into the United States, and Mayorkas should prioritize it as such. Redirecting agents away from our region will increase wait times during the busiest season of the year. And, closing PedWest is a gut punch to the businesses that just celebrated its reopening three weeks ago. The closure of PedWest and the expected increase in wait times will severely impact our local communities and economy, particularly as businesses work to recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. This decision must be reversed immediately. I urge Secretary Mayorkas to prioritize the well-being of our regional economy."
Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced they will suspend operations at the Pedestrian West crossing in San Ysidro, California, starting December 9, 2023, redirecting 40 CBP personnel to other sectors.
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Vargas represents California’s 52nd Congressional District which includes the southern portion of San Diego County, including the cities of San Diego, National City, Chula Vista, and Imperial Beach. Vargas was first elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2012 and is currently serving his sixth term in Congress. He serves on the House Financial Services Committee.