Some border county sheriffs say there’s no disaster on the border
As politicians from each side of the aisle declare there is a disaster on the border, sheriffs with two border counties in Arizona say they disagree with that evaluation.
PHOENIX – Arizona Governor Doug Ducey, together with a number of Republican leaders, are calling the state of affairs on the U.S.-Mexico Border a ‘disaster.’
On the Democratic facet, President Joe Biden has used the phrase ‘disaster’ not too long ago, and each U.S. Senators from Arizona have requested for extra Nationwide Guard alongside the border.
Associated: Arizona Governor deploys National Guard to US-Mexico border
Nevertheless, sheriffs with two border counties in Arizona have a really completely different tackle present situations.
Santa Cruz County Sheriff: It is not a disaster
“We now have no migrant disaster on the border, however there’s a lot of fuzzy math going round,” mentioned Santa Cruz County Sheriff David Hathaway.
Santa Cruz County, a small county south of Tucson and north of Nogales, Mexico, has the most important ports of entry into Arizona. Immigrant arrests within the county are up from the Trump and Obama years, however the individuals coming right here to search out work, and the general numbers are nothing new.
“1.1 million if that continues at the very same charge this summer time, which is unlikely, however there’s nothing out of the odd. It’s virtually yearly because the 80s, 90s, and 2000s,” mentioned Sheriff Hathaway.
Sheriff Hathaway says it is not an immigration disaster, however an financial one on the American facet of the border.
“We now have an financial disaster right here as a result of the vacationer visa holders nonetheless cannot are available in america, and that is costing tens of millions of {dollars} every single day in misplaced income,” mentioned Sheriff Hathaway.
Pima County Sheriff says cash could be higher spent elsewhere
“Whether or not it is a disaster of their neighborhoods, I can’t converse to it, however it’s not a disaster proper now for Pima County,” mentioned Pima County Sheriff Chris Nanos.
Sheriff Nanos was born on the border, and has labored alongside it virtually ever since. He says if the governor actually desires to assist, he ought to ship extra money for issues like police reform, physique cameras, and ankle screens, slightly than extra Nationwide Guard troops.
“It’d assist these with psychological sickness or endure from drug dependancy slightly than locking all of them up in my jail. So yeah, if the governor actually desires to assist Pima county, ship me some funding for a type of objects,” mentioned Sheriff Nanos.