New El Paso tent facility for migrants expected to be operational May 5th
The new tent facility to house migrants at the Border Patrol station in Northeast El Paso is currently under construction and expected to be completed by May 5, according to a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesperson.
A similar facility is under construction in Donna, Texas and expected to be ready May 1st.
Each facility will have a capacity of 500.
ABC-7 crews observed the structure’s beams layed out on the ground Monday and by Wednesday the framework of the facility was already standing with a white canopy roof in place.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection last Friday awarded a $37-million contract to Deployed Resources LLC to build new tent facilities to house migrants in El Paso and Donna, Texas.
Deployed Resources – based in Rome, New York – will be contracted for a “four-month base period with four one-month options,” a news release states.
“The humanitarian and border security crisis on our Southwest border has stretched our resources and processing facilities to the breaking point,” said John P. Sanders, the senior official performing the duties of Commissioner. “These temporary facilities will support our efforts to process, care for and transfer the unprecedented number of families and unaccompanied children crossing the border illegally each day.”
CBP will oversee the construction of the tent facilities, expected to be operational as soon as May 1, 2019.
The tent facilities will each accommodate up to 500 individuals in CBP custody while they await transfer to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement or to the Department of Health and Human Services.
CBP said the temporary structures are weatherproof and provide areas for eating, sleeping, recreation and personal hygiene.
The contract provides for shower trailers, chemical toilets and sinks, laundry trailers, sleeping mats, kitchen equipment, personal property storage boxes, office space, interior and perimeter closed circuit television, lockers, security, power and HVAC services.
