SAN YSIDRO, Calif. (KGTV) — The San Ysidro Port of Entry's Pedestrian West facility is close to resuming normal operations as U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Saturday the facility's southbound operations will resume Monday.
The southbound facility will be open with limited hours of operation, from 3 p.m. to 11 p.m., seven days a week. The announcement comes after northbound operations were reopened on Thursday. Northbound operations are currently open from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The pedestrian crossing was temporarily closed in mid-September due to the influx of migrants arriving at the border as agents worked to process hundreds of asylum seekers.
San Ysidro Port of Entry Director Mariza Marin says CBP is still working to resume normal operations.
"With the resumption of operations at the Pedestrian West southbound facility, we are taking steps to return to operational capacity and improve the daily life of thousands of travelers in the region who cross every day," Marin said in a press release.
CBP will continue to evaluate the border situation and make operational changes as needed.
Commuters and business owners alike are excited about the reopening.
Millions of people cross between San Ysidro and Tijuana every day. A lot of them live in Mexico and work in the U.S., while others come to shop.
Having the crossing open in both directions means they can get back to their normal routines.
One entrepreneur told ABC 10News her businesses really struggled to stay afloat while the crossing was closed.
"It's even worse than we started the coronavirus pandemic, because there is no people around because it takes so long to cross the border and go back to Mexico right now," says Olivia Campos. "It's convenient for all the Tijuana people. A lot of people come all the time to this mall. Our money, we can spend over here."
San Ysidro Port of Entry director Mariza Marin says CBP is still working to resume normal operations.
