On Friday, officials with Customs and Border Protection announced that a massive a continuous border surge has caused the temporary suspension of operations at the Lukeville Port of Entry, an Arizona border crossing.
The Lukeville Port will be temporarily suspended, beginning on Dec. 4, in order to “redirect personnel to assist the U.S. Border Patrol with taking migrants into custody.”
In response, Arizona State Senator TJ Shope is calling on Governor Kate Hobbs to deploy the National Guard.
“This closure will detrimentally impact those vacationing in the popular beach town of Puerto Peñasco, stripping commuters of a safe and direct route back into Arizona,” said Shope in a press release. “I’m calling on Governor Hobbs to use her executive power for the safety of our citizens by deploying Arizona National Guard resources to the border to help alleviate the overwhelmed law enforcement currently battling this crisis with zero support from Joe Biden and his administration. As our state’s top government official, she cannot turn a blind eye to the security threat directly impacting our citizens. Forcing Arizonans to travel hours out of their way on routes vulnerable to cartel organizations, terrorists, and other criminals seeking to do harm is completely unacceptable. I’m demanding swift action from Hobbs to protect our citizens and our communities. Anything less showcases her complicity with Biden’s irresponsible and dangerous agenda. Additionally, I strongly encourage our Arizona congressional delegation to demand this decision is promptly reversed.”
Governor Hobbs, along with Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly acknowledged the crisis, but insisted only that the federal government take action.
“Arizona border communities are in crisis and our men and women on the front lines do not have the resources they need to manage the overwhelming numbers of migrants crossing the border,” said Hobbs, Sinema, and Kelly in a joint statement. “With over 2,000 migrants coming across the Tucson sector daily, CBP has announced they will temporarily close the Lukeville, Arizona Port of Entry and redirect all officers – who would otherwise manage the everyday travel of workers and tourists that businesses rely on and trade that drives our economy forward – to instead help U.S. Border Patrol process migrants. This is an unacceptable outcome that further destabilizes our border, risks the safety of our communities, and damages our economy by disrupting trade and tourism. The Federal Government must act swiftly to maintain port of entry operations, get the border under control, keep Arizona communities safe, and ensure the humane treatment of migrants.”
John R. Modlin, Chief of the U.S. Border Patrol’s Tucson Sector, announced on Friday in his “Week in Review” that his team had made 17,500 apprehensions, and thwarted 10 human smuggling events this week.
Week in Review…
– 17,500 Apprehensions
– 131 Federal Criminal Cases
– 18 Rescues
– 10 Human Smuggling Events
– 8 Narcotics Events #HonorFirst pic.twitter.com/cfie54n3Ya— John R. Modlin (@USBPChiefTCA) December 1, 2023
Modlin has become a must-follow account for journalists due to his effort to be transparent. His weekly updates provide a snapshot of what agents in the Tucson sector are up against as the border remains wide open, and the Biden administration refuses to address the issue.
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