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Governor Doug Ducey and a delegation of state lawmakers toured Arizona’s border in Yuma and received a briefing on the escalating humanitarian and security crisis from Border Patrol, local law enforcement, and community leaders.
The tour follows the Governor’s announcement to issue a Declaration of Emergency and deploy the Arizona National Guard to support law enforcement efforts. He pledged to deploy 250 National Guard troops to aid local law enforcement with border patrol efforts and allocate $25 million to finance the National Guard mission.
“Here in Arizona, we are willing to step up and do our part to protect our communities and secure the nation’s southern border,” said Governor Ducey. “I have deployed the national guard to provide logistical, field and operational support to law enforcement along the border, but there’s more work to be done.
“There has been no action from the Biden administration, and I call on the federal government to do more to resolve this crisis,” the Governor continued. “Until there is federal action, Arizona is ready to do our part. I am grateful to our state leaders, law enforcement, legislators, and to everyone who has stepped up and offered support during this crisis.”
“The U.S. Border Patrol is overwhelmed. Local law enforcement and mayors are calling out for help,” Ducey said.
“Citizens and our border communities are concerned for their safety and nonprofits, left to pick up the pieces of broken federal policies, are strained,” he continued.
The Governor received a briefing on Border Patrol operations from Chris T. Clem, Chief of the Border Patrol Yuma Sector. The Yuma Sector encompasses 126 miles of international border with Mexico, with three checkpoints currently manned by over 700 Border Patrol agents.
Arizona is the first state to declare an emergency as the Biden administration struggles to manage the influx of migrants arriving at the U.S. border with Mexico. Arizona is the second state to send the National Guard to the border. Texas Governor Greg Abbott deployed troops to the border in early March, although he did not declare a state of emergency.
Ducey remarked, “I said last month that the Biden administration is totally divorced from reality. Now, at times it seems like they fully understand the reality and they’re putting their heads in the sand and trying to ignore it anyway.”
Following the briefing, the Governor attended a roundtable discussion with state legislators, local elected officials, and agriculture leaders to discuss the effects of the migrant crisis and how to mitigate the increase in illegal crossings.
The Governor then went on a tour of the Yuma border wall to observe the area where migrants are crossing frequently and held a press conversation with members of the media.
