Ducey says Biden administration ‘does not care’ about border safety as Yuma crossings surge

PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey blasted the Biden administration Tuesday during a visit to the border in Yuma, where officials say crossings are surging.

Ducey, in a press conference, accused President Joe Biden and his administration of not doing enough to limit the flow of migrants into Arizona from the southern border.

“As things stand right now, this crisis will not be resolved as long as Joe Biden is our president,” Ducey told reporters.

Yuma County Supervisor Jonathan Lines told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Mike Broomhead Show on Tuesday that more than 5,000 people had crossed into the U.S. near the southwestern Arizona city in the last week.

Lines estimated almost 1,000 people are crossing per day, with about 2,000 who crossed in Yuma on Sunday.

Those numbers are similar to surges in recent months in Yuma, but Ducey said a recently reinstituted policy is driving more migrants to Arizona.

The “Remain in Mexico” policy that requires migrants to stay in Mexico as they await immigration hearings was announced to be reinstated Thursday. Ducey said the rollout of the policy is being done with urgency only at border crossings in El Paso, Texas.

“The policy needs to be implemented uniformly and consistently and with urgency. Not piecemeal,” Ducey said.

The Republican governor said he would deploy additional resources to ease safety and health concerns at the border, but called on the Biden administration for assistance.

“What we’re seeing here in Yuma is further evidence that the Biden administration does not care about the safety of our border communities or the flow of illegal drugs impacting our communities,” Ducey said.

“We need to protect Arizonans and our communities.”

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