December 04, 2023 | LUKEVILLE, AZ — In response to the escalating challenges posed by the ongoing US Border Crisis, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have announced the indefinite closure of the Lukeville Port of Entry, effective 8 pm on Sunday, December 3rd, 2023.
The closure is a result of the increasing strain on Ports of Entries (POE) along the 2,000-mile US-Mexico Border, where a surge in migrant activity has necessitated the reassignment of LUKEVILLE POE personnel to process migrants. This shift has impacted the regular processing of tourists and commerce, leading to the decision to close the Lukeville Port of Entry until further notice.
US tourists intending to visit the popular destination Puerto Peñasco, famously known as “Arizona’s Beach,” are advised to detour through either the San Luis or Nogales Ports of Entry. However, this detour is expected to add an additional 2-4 hours to their travel time each way.
GrinGO, a leading Mexico travel safety app, has issued a cautionary notice advising against taking Highway 3, also known as the El Golfo-Puerto Peñasco Coastal Highway. Severe road conditions along the 90-mile coastal route, marked by hundreds of potholes, have resulted in daily reports of tire blowouts and even cracked rims. To avoid these hazards, it is recommended to detour through Highway 2 from San Luis to Sonoyta, covering a distance of 130 miles.
An additional cautionary notice is issued for the Santa Ana (HWY 2/37) to Puerto Peñasco route, specifically at night, as active fighting and attacks among the cartel factions continue to plague the Caborca region posing a potential high risk to travelers.
The closure of LUKEVILLE POE comes at a critical time for tourism and investment to Puerto Peñasco, as the US Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported processing approximately 56,000 vehicle/bus passengers in December of the previous year and 61,000 in January of 2023. The surge in Mexico tourism in 2023, approaching pre-COVID levels, had anticipated a positive increase in tourist activities for December and January.
“I can’t imagine the negative economic impact this closure will have on the local business community dependent on tourism, foreign investments, vacation rental income, etc. Many of our condo insurance clients immediately started to receive waves of rental cancellations.” says Brian Krupski, CEO of GrinGO.
GrinGO will continue to monitor the situation closely and provide updates as necessary through the App real-time travel advisory system. For further information or real-time travel safety updates, download the FREE app GrinGO at www.gringoapp.com.
