For eight border patrol stations along the Texas-Mexico border, Customs and Border Patrol last month published an open request for bids from contractors who could provide 9,000 frozen beef and bean burritos per month to feed detained aliens. The request, found on the Federal Business Opportunities website under the title "Alien meals for Del Rio border patrol section," asks for boxes of five-ounce beef and bean burritos, individually wrapped and frozen to be delivered at least twice a month. The Eagle Pass border station, located on the banks of the Rio Grande, has the highest demand in the request, with an average consumption of 4,300 burritos per month. Providing water, juice, crackers and even burritos is "part of a detention standard" says CBP spokeswoman Leah Yoon. The request, says Yoon, is part of the CBP's response to the humanitarian needs of hungry and dehydrated migrants found crossing into the U.S. Why burritos? "They're often arriving into the U.S. not having eaten for days," says Yoon, "We're being sensitive to where they are coming from."
With reporting by Timothy J. Burger