YUMA, Ariz. — Arizona has begun building a barrier of shipping containers along the border in Yuma, citing a lack of action from the Biden administration on resuming the construction of the wall along the border.
Gov. Doug Ducey announced that construction began on Friday and is separate from the action promised by President Biden in late July.
Ducey said Friday that the state is working on its own to add 1,000 feet of cargo containers lined with barbed wire, saying the state can no longer wait for the Biden administration to take action.
Tim Roemer, the Director of the Arizona Department of Homeland Security, told ABC15, "We hope and we really believe that this will make a significant and immediate impact in operational control of our southern border, protecting our state and our nation."
In late July, the Biden administration authorized the completion of the wall in the area, which has become one of the busiest corridors for illegal crossings, but it hasn't begun yet.
A timetable for border wall construction to resume by the federal government has not been released.
Jonathan Lines, the Yuma County Supervisor and chairman of Yuma County Food Bank, said the shipping containers will act as a "funnel or choke point" that will help law enforcement "while the federal government determines what to do."
Lines said the impact of border crossings had been a stressor to the local community.
"We want this to be a detriment," Lines said. "This is such a risky proposition to come across the border."
