ARIZONA NEWS

Yuma mayor says shipping container border wall makes his city safer

Aug 25, 2022, 2:00 PM

PHOENIX – Yuma’s mayor said Wednesday his southern Arizona city is safer now that active areas of open border have been blocked off by shipping containers.

Mayor Doug Nicholls told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s The Gaydos and Chad Show he’d been to the area near the Morelos Dam earlier that day and seen the impact of the new wall, which was erected at the direction of Gov. Doug Ducey.

“People were crossing as usual but as soon as they got to the wall, obviously, they couldn’t proceed and they ended up having to wait in that area for Border Patrol to arrive in order to process them,” Nicholls said.

“So, it made it a situation where people are, I guess, congregating in a single area so Border Patrol can then address them more effectively.”

That isn’t the only benefit of project, which was completed Wednesday.

“It also discourages people who, you know, cartel members or traffickers, that want to have an easy access to our country and not wait for Border Patrol,” Nicholls said.

“It makes that a lot more difficult. So, yes, it makes our community safer.”

Nicholls also said the new wall is giving the Border Patrol a morale boost because “there’s something positive, something active being done and not just more rhetoric and more policy.”

Ducey issued an executive order on Aug. 12 to close gaps in about 3,800 feet of wall on the Arizona-Mexico border.

“These weren’t like super huge gaps, but they were the most active gaps,” Nicholls said.

The double-stacked shipping containers are welded together and topped with razor wire, making the barrier about 20 feet high.

“Obviously, it’s not impenetrable and … it’s not the whole solution, but it is a management tool that helps us be more safe,” Nicholls said.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Pass it along to the KTAR News team here.

Arizona News

(Facebook Photo/Phoenix Police Department, file)...

KTAR.com

Police identify teen boy who died after shooting in central Phoenix

A teenage boy who was shot and later died in central Phoenix on Saturday afternoon has been identified, according to Phoenix Police. 

4 hours ago

Solar panels...

Damon Allred

Gila River Indian Community to receive solar panels over canals

The Biden-Harris Administration will give $5.65 million to construct and install solar panels over the Casa Blanca Canal.

7 hours ago

Artist rendering of the upcoming Taco Viva restaurant in Phoenix. (Aline Architecture)...

Brandon Brown/Phoenix Business Journal

Real estate investor to open drive-thru Taco Viva restaurant in Phoenix

Taco Viva, a new restaurant founded by the managing director of a Scottsdale real estate investment firm, is set to open in early 2024.

8 hours ago

(Facebook Photo)...

Associated Press

Pilot killed in small plane crash near Eloy Municipal Airport

A pilot has been killed in a small plane crash in a vacant lot near Eloy Municipal Airport, about halfway between Phoenix and Tucson, police said.

19 hours ago

Firebird Motorsports Park....

KTAR.com

Chandler racing complex renamed Firebird Motorsports Park

Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park in Chandler has a new name -- Firebird Motorsports Park.

21 hours ago

Pamela Andrews...

KTAR.com

Silver Alert canceled after 68-year-old woman located

The Mesa Police Department canceled a Silver Alert on Saturday after locating Pamela Andrew, the Arizona Department of Safety says.

21 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Follow @iamdamonallred...

Avoid a potential emergency and get your home’s heating and furnace safety checked

With the weather getting colder throughout the Valley, the best time to make sure your heating is all up to date is now. 

...

Desert Institute for Spine Care

Desert Institute for Spine Care (DISC) wants to help Valley residents address back, neck issues through awake spine surgery

As the weather begins to change, those with back issues can no longer rely on the dry heat to aid their backs. That's where DISC comes in.

...

SCHWARTZ LASER EYE CENTER

Key dates for Arizona sports fans to look forward to this fall

Fall brings new beginnings in different ways for Arizona’s professional sports teams like the Cardinals and Coyotes.

Yuma mayor says shipping container border wall makes his city safer