Results of Unannounced Inspections of CBP Holding Facilities in the Rio Grande Valley Area

The objective for this unannounced inspection was to determine whether U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) complied with National Standards on Transport, Escort, Detention, and Search (TEDS) and other relevant policies and procedures related to conditions of detention at nine CBP short-term migrant holding facilities in the Rio Grande Valley area of Texas. Our inspections and subsequent analysis showed Border Patrol held 1,736 detainees in custody in five facilities longer than the TEDS standard, which generally limits detention in these facilities to 72 hours. Increased migrant encounters was a contributing factor to time in custody, and exacerbated Border Patrol staffing challenges in the Rio Grande Valley.