Steve Cortes, founder of the League of American Workers, said on April 29 that U.S. border policies have had broader impacts on communities across Arizona, pointing to recent enforcement actions as an example of ongoing challenges in immigration control.
His comments followed the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announcement of the arrest of Said Jama Ahmed, a Somali national who authorities said entered the United States illegally near San Luis, Arizona, in September 2022. DHS said Ahmed’s fingerprints matched records tied to a 2012 U.S. Navy operation targeting Somali piracy in the Gulf of Aden and that he remained in the country despite multiple encounters with law enforcement.
“This Somali pirate entered the United States illegally through San Luis, Arizona in 2022 — and the Biden administration let him roam free for years until a Canadian Mountie finally caught him. When weak border policies allowed Third World criminals with piracy ties to walk through Arizona and evade removal, working families across the state paid the price,” Cortes said.
The area where Ahmed entered falls under the Yuma Sector, one of the busiest regions for illegal crossings. According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, the sector recorded more than 244,000 encounters with migrants in fiscal year 2023, among the highest totals nationwide during that period.
Federal prosecutors have also reported ongoing enforcement activity in the state.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona said it brought immigration-related charges against 226 individuals in a single week in spring 2026, including cases involving illegal entry and reentry.
DHS said the arrest of Ahmed involved coordination with international partners, including Canadian authorities, who ultimately apprehended him near the northern border. Officials said the case highlights challenges in tracking and removing individuals who enter the country illegally and later move within the United States.
Cortes founded the League of American Workers in 2022. He previously served as a senior adviser to President Trump and Vice President Vance and has worked as a financial markets and political commentator on CNBC, Fox News, and CNN. Cortes leads advocacy for pro-worker policies focused on national sovereignty and American working families’ interests.
