On March 18, Congressman Ruben Gallego, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes, and SCC Sheriff David Hathaway held a press conference in Nogales to express their concerns about the lack of support and resources for border communities. During the conference, Gallego, Meyes, and Hathaway all expressed frustrations and urged Congress to pass legislation to address the crisis at the border. They emphasized the need to fund critical technology for detecting fentanyl at all ports of entry.
Sheriff Hathaway, speaking first to the audience of approximately 10 media outlets, including the PRT, local government officials, members of law enforcement and community members, highlighted the important commercial, agricultural, and economic benefits of the Nogales border with Mexico, saying, “It’s one of the biggest ports of entry with Mexico of any of the four border counties and we value our relationship with Mexico.”
Gallego focused on the border enforcement community, which lacks the necessary resources to deal with prolonged border crossing surges. He addressed the need to increase funding for personnel, resources, and community safety.
“I’m calling on members of Congress to put politics aside and pass the funding and border security bill that’s right now sitting idly in Congress,” he said. “Every minute we wait means more fentanyl deaths, more strain on our first responders, and a looming possibility of street releases, something that no small community wants, or Arizona wants in general.”
Mayes, speaking last, strongly voiced her frustration with Congress for not funding the installation of high-tech drug-detecting scanners currently sitting in warehouses in Nogales.
“It’s beyond ridiculous,” she said. “Arizona families every day are losing loved ones to this crisis of fentanyl. We have Arizonans dying every day for no reason at all when we have scanners that can prevent this fentanyl from entering the country sitting right here in warehouses.”
All three officials promised their continued efforts to raise concerns for safety along Arizona border communities while also urging funding from Congress.