EAGLE PASS, Texas (NewsNation) — A U.S. Customs and Border Protection migrant processing facility in Eagle Pass, Texas, is closing, sources told NewsNation on Wednesday.
The temporary, soft-sided facility called “Firefly,” which opened in July 2022, was originally designed to quickly process people in Border Patrol custody by providing food, shelter and processing space.
The 153,300-square-foot, climate-controlled facility served the Border Patrol’s Del Rio sector. It replaced a smaller structure that opened in Eagle Pass in April 2021.
Similar facilities in El Paso and San Diego will remain open.
The news comes amid Vice President JD Vance‘s visit to the southern border Wednesday to highlight the Trump administration’s tough immigration policies as the White House touts a sharp decline in border crossings.
Illegal crossings at the border have dropped 94% compared to last year, according to Border Patrol officials, and the decline is attributed to several factors — including labeling cartel groups as terrorist organizations, boosting ICE deportations and deploying military resources for enforcement and deportation flights.
Alongside Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and National Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard, Vance is expected to visit Eagle Pass, once considered a hot spot for illegal crossings.
The visit comes as the White House pushes its “whole of government” approach, coordinating efforts between the departments of Homeland Security, Defense and Justice.
