DOUGLAS, Ariz. (KGUN) — Cochise County mayors have had it with the lack of resources and federal help when it comes to the increased activity at the Southern border.
“We’re tired of doing the federal government’s job,” said Douglas Mayor, Donald Huish. “It’s getting tiresome and it’s becoming a burden.”
The seven mayors in the county signed and sent a letter to the president to ask for more funding, more agents at the border and more resources to help with the continuous surge.
“It was a chance to get together and stand united to show a united front to the White House and the Federal Government,” Huish said.
Most of the cities and towns are struggling with high-speed chases by smugglers, but Huish says Douglas' challenges are the increased wait times to cross the border and street releases. He said when Customs agents are pulled from the border to help with processing, it causes a lane to close and can more than double the wait times.
“We feel like we’re not being heard, people don’t understand what it’s like to live here," Huish said.
Cochise County officials said in January there were 489 people released in Douglas, which was a slow month compared to December when more than 2,000 people were released in the border city.
“The buses that bring them to be processed in Douglas are Border Patrol buses," Huish said. "They go back empty. So I don’t know why they can’t take the processed ones back to Tucson.”
It's been a month since the letter was sent, and Huish said they haven't received a response to the letter. But the Douglas Mayor has a simple answer to the situation.
“If I had my magic wand, the border would be closed and there would be a nice single file line for those seeking asylum in our community,” Huish said.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
