ARIZONA NEWS

Mayor of Douglas looks forward to showing Kamala Harris around his Arizona border city

Sep 27, 2024, 7:05 AM | Updated: 9:27 am

U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona: Kamala Harris Douglas visit...

Vice President Kamala Harris is set to visit the Arizona border city of Douglas on Sept. 27, 2024. (Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

(Photo by Robyn Beck/AFP via Getty Images)

PHOENIX — The mayor of the Arizona city Vice President Kamala Harris is set to visit Friday afternoon is looking forward to showing her the reality of life on the U.S.-Mexico border.

“We hope the vice president will be able to see what life is like on the border day in and day out,” Douglas Mayor Donald Huish told KTAR News 92.3 FM’s Arizona’s Morning News on Friday.

Harris is set to call for tougher border security measures when she speaks during what will be her second Arizona visit as the Democratic presidential nominee, according to campaign officials.

She will critique her Republican rival, former President Donald Trump, for killing the bipartisan border security bill earlier this year.

U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly and his wife, former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, are joining the vice president on her trip to their home state.

Huish said he’s looking forward to showing her around the city during her visit.

“We want to be able to show her the positives, but we also want to show her some of the negatives we experience,” Huish said.

What mayor wants Kamala Harris to know about U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona

Douglas is a city on the U.S.-Mexico border in Cochise County with a population of around 15,500 people.

It is around 123 miles southeast of Tucson and is neighbors with the Mexican city of Agua Prieta.

Both Douglas and Agua Prieta have transformed from quiet communities to hubs of the immigration crisis.

“What happens here affects the entire nation,” Huish said.

How border crisis impacts Arizona city Harris is visiting

Douglas is uniquely affected by immigration issues compared to other cities and towns around the state, according to Huish.

For instance, Douglas isn’t flooded with asylum seekers. In fact, the migrants they encounter often aren’t seeking out Border Patrol agents.

“We are receiving and and capturing the 18- to 30-year-old males dressed in camouflage with backpacks trying not trying to be apprehended,” Huish said. “They want to be in the country and not be caught.”

He said he was grateful that the Harris-Walz campaign has involved him and other local officials while planning the trip to Douglas.

“Security is very important, and our local Border Patrol, like most places, is understaffed. It needs more help,” Huish said. “But we work very well together with all levels of law enforcement to make Douglas a very, very safe community.”

Harris is set to call for enforcing border rules and cracking down on transnational criminal organizations in her Douglas speech. She will also push for more resources for Border Patrol agents, according to campaign officials.

Huish said he has high hopes for Harris’ visit to the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona.

“I would hope that she would developed a tangible policy to let us and then the entire nation know how she will approach this and what will be her policies to go forward,” he said. “I’m hoping it will be orderly immigration.”

We want to hear from you.

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

Arizona News

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Cal...

Associated Press

Donald Trump holds rally in California day before visiting Prescott Valley in Arizona

Donald Trump holds a rally in California on Saturday, one day before his visit to Prescott Valley in Arizona.

1 hour ago

Affordable apartment Phoenix...

Angela Gonzales/Phoenix Business Journal

Affordable apartment developer debuts in Phoenix with $700 million investment

A Minnesota-based housing developer is making its Arizona debut — while planning $700 million of new development in the Grand Canyon State.

4 hours ago

Lion cubs Phoenix Zoo...

Aaron Schmidt

Two lion cubs make debut into their habitat at Phoenix Zoo

Two male African lion cubs made their debut into the Predator Passage lion habitat at the Phoenix Zoo, authorities said Saturday.

14 hours ago

Illustration of thermometer showing temperature of 100 degrees under a mostly sunny blue sky. Phoen...

KTAR.com

Record daily heat streak in Phoenix reaches 19 as mark shattered Saturday

Phoenix continued its heat record streak as the mark reached 19 on Saturday. The streak could come to an end soon.

15 hours ago

Phoenix fatal crash...

Aaron Schmidt

1 man dead after fatal multi-car crash involving semi-truck in Phoenix

One man is dead after a four-vehicle crash involving a semi-truck in Phoenix that happened near 51st Avenue and Osborn Road.

17 hours ago

(Facebook Photo/Maricopa County Superior Court)...

Dave Neil

Man indicted on 44 counts of organized retail theft

A 30-year-old man has been indicted on multiple organized retail theft charges from a crime spree that lasted nearly a year in Maricopa County.

19 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

...

Day & Night Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing

It wouldn’t hurt to get your AC checked after Arizona’s excruciating heat wave

A well-maintained air conditioning unit is vital to living a comfortable life inside, away from triple-digit heat in Arizona.

...

Sanderson Ford

3 storylines to get you revved up for the 2024 Arizona Cardinals

Arizona Cardinals training camp is just a couple weeks away starting on July 25, and Sanderson Ford is revved up and ready to go.

...

Day & Night Air Conditioning, Heating and Plumbing

Beat the heat, ensure your AC unit is summer-ready

With temperatures starting to rise across the Valley, now is a great time to be sure your AC unit is ready to withstand the sweltering summer heat.

Mayor of Douglas looks forward to showing Kamala Harris around his Arizona border city