NOGALES, Ariz. (KGUN) — It was a quiet day at BKY’s Place in Nogales, Arizona as employee Sergio Castaneda put back fake flowers. It’s a shop that carries everything from fake flower wreaths to backpacks to socks.
“Because it was the election celebration and they’re scared of what’s happening,” Castaneda said.
On his first day in office, President Donald Trump declared a national emergency at the border.
Castaneda said even though most of his customers live in Mexico, they’re still nervous to come over to the American side of Nogales.
“They’re scared to come because they didn’t know what’s going on. Some people, they didn’t tell them exactly the reality,” he said.
Trump also signed an executive order that names drug cartels as terrorist organizations.
Castaneda feels like that order could make some of his customers who live in Mexico feel safer. Many of them resell the products in Mexico that they buy from Castaneda. Castaneda said he has heard from them that many are afraid to go to places like the swap meet in Mexico where the cartel will force them to give them money.
“The cartel asking for money, so if there is no cartel there, so the business gets better here,” Castaneda said.
Trump’s national emergency executive order said the secretary of defense or military officials can send as many people in the armed forces as they want to the border.
Trump is giving the secretary of defense and secretary of homeland security 90 days to submit a report on the border’s conditions.
“Mexican people, those ones, they’re scared to see those kind of military people,” Castaneda said about the possibility of them coming to Nogales. “We don’t want to have no sales. Most of our customers of the sales are the people from Mexico.”
Similarly, back in 2019, the National Guard helped Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents arrest ten groups of illegal migrants.
In December of 2023 Governor Katie Hobbs also sent the National Guard to the Lukeville Port of Entry.
Isabel Navaro is another business owner on Morley Street in Nogales who owns Divina LLC which sells everything from makeup to jackets to hygiene products.
“I think it is going to affect because the people are going to get scared. They’re going to say, 'why are they here?'” Navarro said about the possibility of Trump sending troops to Nogales.
Navarro said customers might get used to them being there, but she doesn’t know because it’s all a waiting game.
“Our businesses are established thanks to the people of Mexico,” she said.
——-
Andrew Christiansen is a reporter for KGUN 9. Before joining the team, Andrew reported in Corpus Christi, Texas for KRIS6 News, Action 10 News and guest reported in Spanish for Telemundo Corpus Christi. Share your story ideas with Andrew by emailing andrew.christiansen@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, or Twitter.