Border Security Alliance: Mr. President, the Crisis at Arizona's Border is Important and Getting Worse

Phoenix, AZ-- Today, President Joe Biden will be visiting Arizona but the president has chosen to not visit the Southern Border claiming there are "more important things."

"President Joe Biden is completely out of touch with the reality of what is happening at Arizona's Southern Border," said Jobe Dickinson, President of the Border Security Alliance. "In 2022, overdose deaths in AZ rose as high as 41% in year-over-year data published monthly. Illegal fentanyl is the leading cause which is being smuggled across the international border. The lack of staffing and resources for Border Patrol along with the upcoming termination of Title 42 will create another surge of illegal immigrants who will take advantage of our flawed border policies. We need leaders who will take this issue seriously, not ignore a crisis that is worsening each day and burdening our border communities and local law enforcement."

The Border Security Alliance released an informational video today to show first-hand the border crisis in Yuma, Arizona.

"Living in Yuma, Arizona I see first-hand the direct impact of the nation's failed border policies on our community," said Jonathan Lines, Border Security Alliance Board Chairman. "Border patrol does not have enough agents and their resources are stretched thin trying to manage the constant flood of illegal immigrants crossing the border. Agents are left processing illegal immigrants who are self-surrendering instead of intercepting those who are evading Border Patrol and committing dangerous crimes. Arizona families and communities are suffering because of it. This is a nonpartisan issue that all of our elected leaders must work together to address." 

Background on Border Crisis:

In FY2022 there was an all-time high 2.3M illegal immigrant encounters along the southern border, increasing from 1.7M in FY2021.National drug seizures are down significantly since 2020 but that is not because less drugs are coming across the border. It is because we no longer have the staffing needed to intercept the drugs along the border resulting in police agencies across Arizona, who are also short staffed, engaging in more drug interdiction cases.

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