NOGALES, Ariz. (KGUN) — Nogales is one of the places where people and policy could collide when Title 42 lifts. It is preparing for an influx of asylum seekers when Title 42 ends Thursday night but no one is quite sure what will happen as that restriction on asylum seekers ends.
For now border traffic in Nogales looks about normal. But there’s a lot of suspense about the moment Title 42 enforcement stops and uncorks three years of pent up demand.
“We're still waiting to hear what the federal government is going to do.”
And that’s right after Santa Cruz County Supervisor Manny Ruiz came out of a new briefing with CBP officials.
He hopes to avoid a wave of people trying to cross all at once.
Ruiz says CBP has urged asylum seekers to use the CBP One phone app to make organized, orderly appointments. But asylum seekers complain the app is buggy and appointments are scarce.
Supervisor Ruiz says instead of the military he’d really like to see a surge of immigration judges to allow quick rulings on asylum claims.
“As a human being we understand, or maybe we don't understand what many of these families are going through. So we have to have a little bit of compassion, but at the same time, when you don't have the resources that are there to really help provide a better shelter, or a better way of addressing some of their needs. It makes it very hard.”
All asylum seekers are being urged to come through the DiConcini port and avoid the Mariposa cargo port. Mariposa handles a large share of the fruits and vegetables that wind up on your table.
Port Authority Chairman Jaime Chamberlain says he’s confident the immigration issue will not affect the flow of cargo.
“I think customs did a fantastic job during COVID. They were very, very stressed with not a whole lot of staff. And they never shut down a commercial lane, which was very, very important to the continuity of international trade. And I think they'll do the same thing. If they encounter any issues here.”