NOGALES, Ariz. (KGUN) — Six million fentanyl pills seized. That’s one of the achievements Gov. Katie Hobbs was talking about as she came to the border in Nogales Monday to talk about some of her enforcement efforts.
She says she’s achieved strong boosts in border security by sending Arizona National Guardsmen to help law enforcement.
Forty members of the Arizona National Guard are at the Mariposa Port of Entry. They’re part of 170 Guardsmen the Governor assigned to assist law enforcement in border security.
At the port, they’re working to help Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspectors do vehicle checks. It's during those checks that CBP says it makes a massive number of fentanyl seizures: Nogales is where CBP says it seizes half of the fentanyl found coming into the U.S.
RELATED | Fentanyl seizures down, but Nogales still leads all ports of entry
There’s plenty of potential for change in border enforcement with a new Trump administration promising mass deportations.
Gov. Hobbs says she will protect Arizona families from misguided policies at the border.
KGUN 9’s Craig Smith had a chance to question the Governor when he was in Nogales this morning.
Craig Smith: "Governor, when you talk about the potential of Arizona families being unfairly targeted: If that does start to happen, particularly at the federal level, what tools would you have to oppose it?"
Gov Hobbs: “I will stand up to protect Arizonans from harm by the federal government, by anyone. I’m not going to comment on hypotheticals. We don’t know what a mass deportation plan would look like, the resources it will involve. I’m here to protect Arizonans and I will do that.”
Watch the full media conference:
Nogales Mayor Jorge Maldonado says like Gov. Hobbs, he’s waiting to learn more about the specifics of what the incoming administration will do on the border.
“Whatever it is, we’ve got to work with it. We’ll take it one step at a time," Maldonado said during the news conference Monday. "We’ll work with what we have. We’re here to support the new administration because it’s not just for me, it’s for the country. It’s for my city, it’s for my state. And we need to work together.”
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Craig Smith is a reporter for KGUN 9. With more than 40 years of reporting in cities like Tampa, Houston and Austin, Craig has covered more than 40 Space Shuttle launches and covered historic hurricanes like Katrina, Ivan, Andrew and Hugo. Share your story ideas and important issues with Craig by emailing craig.smith@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook and Twitter.