TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Congressman Juan Ciscomani started his round table saying there is no end in sight for the crisis at the border, but he also said it’s an issue that has united people across the political spectrum.
“This is really an issue that both sides are seeing for what it is….a true crisis,” Rep. Ciscomani told local leaders from several counties across Southern Arizona.
Rep. Ciscomani called out the Biden Administration for closing the Lukeville Port of Entry because he says they did not give leaders enough of a heads up about the closure.
“The illegal traffic continues to come. Meanwhile, the legal traffic, the tourism, the trade, the bi-national citizens that can have homes on both sides, the medical tourism…it has all stopped and the illegal traffic continues to come,” he shared.
Rep. Ciscomani says the answer to the border crisis is H.R. 2, a bill that puts more rules on claiming asylum at ports of entry. The Bill passed in the House and still needs to be passed in the Senate.
“When you tell people come here and then wait inside the country for two and a half years for your court date, you’re incentivizing the dangerous trek,” he said.
Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels agrees with Ciscomani, saying the Biden Administration needs to take more action on the border.
“We have the federal government bussing migrants to Cochise County, taking our border patrol agents off the line to process, leaving our border more and more open for illicit and cartel behavior,” Dannels said.
President Joe Biden said he’s willing to compromise, but has not taken any action on the recent crisis.
Rep. Ciscomani does support Governor Katie Hobbs’ deployment of the national guard. She says she supports reopening Lukeville’s Port of Entry.
Last week on her website, Gov. Hobbs said, "Yet again, the federal government is refusing to do its job to secure our border and keep our communities safe."
Rep. Ciscomani said he wants to continue to work with local leaders here in Arizona to make sure his policies are in line with their concerns.
"We need to leave the asylum door open for those that truly need it, but right now those that truly need it may be missing out on it because of all those that don’t need it that are abusing it," he said.
WATCH: Border crisis roundtable discussion in Sierra Vista
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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.
