U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced that a new Port of Entry is coming to Southern California.
A $150 million federal grant has been awarded to construct a new road and entry facility for the San Diego-Baja California border region.
“These investments will enhance border security by providing Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with state-of-the-art inspection facilities. The new agreement also removed previous Green New Deal requirements, including a zero-emission vehicle charging provision, which was a waste of taxpayer funds and irrelevant to CBP’s national security mission,” the Department of Transportation explained in a news release.
“Thanks to the prior administration’s lack of focus, this critical project sat in limbo for two years. No more. We moved to finalize this deal so we can help protect our Southern border and crack down on drug trafficking while preventing tax dollars subsidizing pointless Green New Deal priorities,” Duffy said in a statement. “This department will continue to clear the previous administration’s unprecedented grants backlog and deliver results.”
The new Port of Entry will improve congestion in Otay Mesa and will facilitate freight moving across the U.S.-Mexico border.
Earlier this month, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem issued the department’s first waiver for the border wall, allowing 2.5 miles of the barrier to be constructed in California.
The wall projects will affect the Jacumba Gap and Smugglers Gulch, as well as another section of the San Diego Sector called the SDC 4 Wall Project.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Acting Commissioner, Pete Flores, said this week that Border Patrol’s apprehensions along the southwest border for March 2025 were “lower than the first two days of March 2024.”
“This is a testament to the tireless dedication and vigilant service of the men and women of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, who work every day to keep our country safe,” he said. “Their commitment on the front lines plays a vital role in securing our borders and protecting American communities.”
