PedWest is closed again

weekend. People in their vehicles reported lines of up to eight hours on social media.

A CBP spokesperson said Monday that “CBP is redirecting personnel to assist the U.S. Border Patrol with taking migrants into custody. This may minimally impact operations at the local ports of entry, but CBP will open as many lanes as possible at the crossings to accommodate the increases.”

The PedWest crossing opened in the summer of 2016 to offer a new option to thousands of bordercrossers to get into the U.S. at San Ysidro. It was closed for almost three years due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

PedWest was open again for limited business after the pandemic but closed down after several months for the same migrant-processing reasons. On Nov. 16, it reopened to northbound traffic again, only to be shut down weeks later.

It is unknown when it will reopen again.

“It’s been hit after hit,” said Jason Wells, executive director of the San Ysidro Improvement Corp. “What we saw this weekend was complete chaos.”

Wells said the weekend was perhaps one of the most important of the year, not only for businesses, but also for workers and people crossing to visit their families.

Wells said the current situation puts at risk the estimated $400 million generated by San Ysidro businesses during the holiday season, which extends from Nov. 20 through Jan. 6.

“The saddest thing of all is that it’s our own government that is hurting us, and at such a critical time for our businesses and communities,” he said.

Elected leaders in San Diego County have expressed their concern with the decision.

Other crossings along the U.S.-Mexico border have also been affected by the increase in migration, such as the International Bridge 1 in Eagle Pass, Texas, and the Lukeville, Ariz., border crossing.