Arizona Rep. Raul Grijalva on Lukeville Port of Entry closure
WASHINGTON, D.C. (KYMA, KECY) - Arizona Representative Raul Grijalva sent a letter to the Biden Administration, asking them to reopen the Lukeville Port of Entry and address lack of resources for southern Arizona communities.
"We require an immediate surge in resources and staffing in southern Arizona but recent actions including closing the Lukeville Port of Entry (POE) are unnecessary and inclusively force migrants to even more dangerous areas as they attempt to exercise their international right to seek asylum. In addition, the small number of agents from Lukeville reassigned to respond will only make a marginal impact. An indefinite closure of Lukeville is a major disruption to the borderland communities I represent and many across the state of Arizona. I urge you to reconsider this closure and consult with local stakeholders including the Tohono O’odham Nation."
Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ-07)
According to a press release, Grijalva also urged the administration to deploy the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to assist with migrant fluxes.
"I am calling upon the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to use all available resources and direct the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support the response to the recent migrant surges. As you may recall, in 2021 DHS directed FEMA to support a government-wide effort to safely receive, shelter, and transfer unaccompanied children who made the dangerous journey to the U.S. southwest border. I believe the current situation deserves a humane emergency response from all sectors of DHS, including FEMA."
Rep. Raul Grijalva (AZ-07)
To read Grijalva's letter, click here.
