U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced today it will temporarily reduce its hours of operation at six ports of entry into Montana starting Apr. 6.
Hours will be reduced at the ports of Raymond, Piegan, Opheim, Morgan, Turner and Del Bonita.
The Port of Raymond’s hours scale back from day-round to 6 A.M. to 10 P.M. The Port of Piegan will be open from 8 A.M. to 6 A.M. Both will remain open seven days a week.
The ports at Opheim, Morgan, Turner and Del Bonita will be reduced to 9 A.M. to 5 A.M. Monday through Friday. They will be closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it’s making the changes due to a significant reduction in traffic after the federal government ended non-essential travel across the U.S.-Canada border on Mar. 21.
The agency said the reduced hours will remain in place until Apr. 30 or until the administration lifts the current travel restrictions.
Montana Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester and Congressman Greg Gianforte called on CBP to keep ports of entry open, saying reduced hours would harm agricultural producers and disrupt essential services and commerce for communities that rely upon the ports.
