Border Patrol to hire staff to help with migrant processing


Eric Gay
In this April 30, 2019, photo, migrants seeking asylum in the United States line up for a meal provided by volunteers near the international bridge in Matamoros, Mexico.

Posted: Tuesday, May 28, 2019 12:09 pm

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Border Patrol is working on hiring additional staff to manage the processing of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Officials said Tuesday the aim is to take the burden off uniformed agents, who can then go back into the field for law enforcement work. Border resources are stretched thin as the U.S. manages a growing crush of families coming from Central America.

Agents say they are spending more than half their time feeding and caring for migrant families. Paperwork processing alone can take two or three hours per family.

There were 58,474 families apprehended last month.

It's not clear how many positions will be opened, or whether they will be filled by full-time hired staff or contractors. Border Patrol officials said details were

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