Border Patrol just set up 2 new ‘tent cities’ for migrants. Here’s a look inside.

Reuters/Jose Luis Gonzalez

• The US government has set up two new "tent city" encampments to house migrants while they’re processed by Border Patrol.
• Two temporary complexes are now in El Paso and Donna, Texas, and cost $36.9 million.
• The US has indeed seen a major surge in Central American migrant families arriving in the US and requesting asylum, leaving Border Patrol agents and facilities overwhelmed.
• Visit INSIDER’s homepage for more stories.

The US government has set up two new "tent city" encampments to house migrant families, as an influx of migrants have overwhelmed Border Patrol’s existing facilities.

The two temporary tent complexes in El Paso and Donna, Texas, cost $36.9 million and are set to house migrants at least until August.

In a press release on Thursday, the Customs and Border Protection agency referred to the tents as "soft-sided structure." The agency said they were set up "in response to the unprecedented number of families and unaccompanied children from non-contiguous countries illegally crossing the border."

Read more: US-Mexico border apprehensions have skyrocketed to a 12-year high as officials warn of a ‘breaking point’

The US has indeed seen a major surge in Central American migrant families arriving in the US and requesting asylum. More than 103,000 people were apprehended at the US-Mexico border in March, and April’s numbers are anticipated to be even higher.

"US Border Patrol’s facilities are stretched beyond capacity," John Sanders, the acting CBP commissioner, said in a statement. "I have seen firsthand the dedication and compassion of our frontline personnel who need additional resources to respond to this unprecedented humanitarian crisis."

Here’s what the tent complex in Donna looks like.

Each of the tent complexes can accommodate up to 500 people.

Reuters/Loren Elliot

CBP said the tents are "weatherproof and climate-controlled," with separate areas for eating, sleeping, recreation, and bathing.

Reuters/Loren Elliot

There are trailers for showers, laundry, and office spaces, and the tents have chemical toilets and sinks inside.

Retuers/Loren Elliott

See the rest of the story at Business Insider

See Also:

• A 10-month-old baby is dead and 3 migrants are missing after their raft overturned in the Rio Grande
• Homeland Security will begin administering DNA tests at the border to check for fraud, child trafficking
• A 16-year-old migrant boy has died in US custody

Source: Business Insider – mmark@businessinsider.com (Michelle Mark)