SIERRA VISTA, Ariz. (KGUN) — Dr. Phil and Tom Homan visited Cochise County on Wednesday, to learn more about how activity at the southern border is affecting the rural county.
President-elect Donald Trump appointed Homan to be border czar.
The visit served two purposes: One for Dr. Phil to film a segment for his show and two for Homan to sit down with local law enforcement.
Homan had a meeting with community leaders, including Sierra Vista Mayor Clea McCaa, Border Patrol, Cochise County Sheriff Deputies, and Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb.
"Now that we have this engagement you can’t say well 'I don’t want to work with you', that doesn’t serve a purpose. It’s hypocritical,” Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels said.
The visit comes after Trump, Vice President-elect JD Vance, and other politicians visited the area this past election cycle.
For Dannels, having anyone from the federal government come and listen to the problems he, his deputies, and his constituents face, is a step in the right direction.
“We’re hoping that now that has been shared our expectations that we'd be funded properly, the resources are probably put back on the border," Dannels said. "Let the federal government do their job, let us do our job, but there is still need to be a partnership.”
He's been calling for action from the federal government for years since there are limitations to what his deputies and local law enforcement can do.
Dannels says the meeting went well, and that Homan shared some of Trump's agenda for illegal immigration and deportations.
“The biggest threat of public safety, national security, threat to this country, are the ones that they're looking at," he said, "That's what the pride of this plan is.”
Dannels expressed to the new border czar the need for resources and funding.
The sheriff says border crimes is Cochise County have increased the workload for public defenders and the county attorney's office.
Dannels told KGUN 9 that Homan told the group the exact plan isn’t done yet.
"What matters is, how are we protecting the people in this county," he said.
This is why, Dannels says they host visits like Homan's and Dr. Phil's; to help educate people.
Mayor McCaa says it’s time to put aside politics and political affiliation, and find answers.
"(The) ideal way forward is to make sure that people of Cochise County are taken care of," he said. "I share that way forward as we together collaborate to make sure Cochise County is safe.”
---
——-
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.
