Grand Canyon Times

A recent poll reveals that Arizona voters are increasingly concerned about immigration and national security, as the situation in Lukeville and along Arizona's border with Mexico continues to demonstrate the insecure state of the border. While Hobbs attributes this insecurity to the Biden administration's alleged failure to secure the border, critics argue that other border state governors have taken decisive actions despite a perceived lack of support from the administration.

The poll, conducted by North Star Opinion Research on behalf of the League of American Workers, discovered that 27 percent of respondents would prioritize immigration when voting in the 2024 presidential and congressional elections. National security was a top concern for 24 percent of those polled. The survey also found that 77 percent of likely Wisconsin voters believe that the country is heading in the wrong direction. This poll was conducted in November.

According to a Fox 10 Phoenix report on December 1st, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced a suspension of operations at the Lukeville, Arizona, port of entry "in order to 'redirect personnel to assist the U.S. Border Patrol with taking migrants into custody.'" This suspension came into effect on December 4.

Fox News national correspondent Bill Melugin reported on December 4 via platform X that CBP at Tucson Sector recorded an unprecedented 17,500 illegal crossings in just one week. He stated that Lukeville has become "the epicenter of the border crisis," witnessing thousands of illegal crossings daily.

Despite suspended operations at Lukeville, migrants continue to rush towards the border. Melugin reported on platform X that human smugglers have managed to cut through the border wall at Lukeville, effectively undermining CBP agents' attempts to weld breaches shut. According to Melugin, agents compared their efforts to a game of "whack-a-mole."

In a letter addressed to President Biden obtained by Daily Mail.com, Hobbs expressed her disagreement with closing down Lukeville crossing. She stated that the closure has led to "an unmitigated humanitarian crisis" and put Arizona's safety and commerce in jeopardy. Hobbs urged Biden and the Federal Government to provide better solutions to maintain port of entry operations and "get the border under control."

However, a November 27 article by the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) pointed out that while Texas Governor Greg Abbott has mobilized state resources to bolster border security in absence of additional federal support, Hobbs has not taken similar measures to curb the influx of migrants into Arizona. Andrew Arthur, Resident Fellow in Law and Policy for CIS, stated that Hobbs has not initiated a program like Abbott’s 'Operation Lone Star' which would redirect her state troopers and National Guard troops to assist overwhelmed Border Patrol agents in Tucson sector. Arthur did note, however, that it is ultimately the Biden administration's "overarching migrant-release scheme" driving the historic record of illegal entries.

Melugin spoke with two illegal immigrants — one from Morocco and one from Liberia — who had entered the U.S. through Lukeville via platform X. The men disclosed they were not seeking asylum but employment opportunities, with plans to travel to New York City. The Moroccan man also expressed gratitude towards President Biden: "I love you, Joe Biden. Thank you for everything, Joe Biden."