PHOENIX — Following explosive leaked comments made by Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas, Governor Doug Ducey on Friday called for his resignation. Mayorkas did not know he was being recorded when he said the border crisis was “unsustainable.”
“These numbers cannot continue,” said Mayorkas, “if our borders are the first line of defense, we’re going to lose.”
212,672 migrants were encountered at our Southern border during the month of July, a 13% increase over June (188,829) which was a 20 year record in itself. The numbers have gone up every single month President Biden has been in office. July is new 20 year record.
“A defeatist is not what we need when it comes to fighting for border security,” Ducey said in response.
Mayorkas’ comments come after months of what Ducey calls “failures at the border by the Biden-Harris administration, whose misguided policies and botched communication have created this crisis and led to the largest number of illegal immigrant encounters at the southern border in 21 years.”
Mayorkas also said he was “very well” aware that portions of the border came close to “breaking” recently, according to news reports. “We can’t continue like this, our people in the field can’t continue and our system isn’t built for it,” Mayorkas reportedly said.
“Unlike Secretary Mayorkas, Arizonans understand that strong borders are essential to public safety and national security,” said Ducey in a press release. “The Biden-Harris administration’s record of failure on this issue has led to this moment. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, through their words and their actions, have signaled to the world that America’s southern border is wide open and unprotected.”
“We knew how bad the border crisis has gotten: 21-year record-breaking surges in illegal immigration. Law enforcement and humanitarian groups at a breaking point. Young children enticed to make the dangerous journey to cross the southern border. Drugs flowing into our communities,” continued Ducey. “Cartels essentially in control of vast swaths of territory south of the border. And now, Secretary Mayorkas has confirmed our worst fears.”
In April, Ducey was forced to declare a state of emergency and deploye the Arizona National Guard to the state’s southern border. The Governor also convened the State Emergency Council to immediately fund the mission with $2.5 million as well as $200,000 for county sheriffs.
In June, the Arizona Legislature passed the FY 2022 budget, including $25 million in state funding for the National Guard border mission and $30 million to assist law enforcement with border security operations, in addition to existing funding for the Border Strike Force.
In June, Governor Ducey and Texas Governor Abbott requested all U.S. governors send available law enforcement resources to the border. Governor Ducey joined 19 fellow governors in May calling on President Biden and Vice President Harris to reverse their destructive border policies.
On Friday, Mayorkas issued a new National Terrorism Advisory System (NTAS) Bulletin regarding the heightened threat environment across the United States. Experts say the porous border has left the U.S. vulnerable to attack.