San Diego CBP responds to surprise inspection report

Zoom out: The report concluded the extended detentions are in part due to the Biden administration's "enhanced expedited removal" process, in which the Border Patrol holds asylum seekers until a judge or asylum officer determines if detainees' fear of persecution or torture in their home country is credible.

By the numbers: Of the 150 detainees held longer than 10 days, 78% were waiting for their claims of fear to be adjudicated.

• The only facility processing EER cases at the time of the inspection had 853 detainees in a space with a maximum capacity of 500.

What's next: The IG's office recommended CBP find new strategies to address delays in transferring detainees to other agencies, and conduct a data integrity review after identifying problems with the agency's electronic records system.

• CBP accepted both recommendations, and committed to informing the IG when both solutions are fully implemented.

What they're saying: A CBP spokesperson told Axios the agency made "several procedural adjustments to ensure a rapid response to increases in irregular migration," but did not specify those adjustments.

• "The agency continues to surge personnel, transportation, processing, and humanitarian resources to the most active areas throughout San Diego's border region," the spokesperson wrote.
• "The OIG report found that CBP facilities in the San Diego area generally met policy standards for food, water, sleeping mats, and medical care," the spokesperson wrote, though the report also found worn bedding at one facility.