Arizona leaders endorse Sinema’s border security bill

Arizona officials including local mayors and business leaders announce support for bill

WASHINGTON (KYMA, KECY) - Bipartisan Arizona officials announced their support for Senator Kyrsten Sinema's (I-Arizona) border security bill.

One of the leaders includes Yuma Mayor Nicholls and Yuma County Supervisor Lynne Pancrazi who is in support of the bill.

"As a border mayor, I have and continue to urge Congress to take action to protect our borders. There is a critical need for immigration reform, and this bipartisan bill is a step in support of enforcement to manage the crisis. Thank you Senator Sinema for your leadership, and for incorporating many of the specific issues that border leaders have asked be addressed."

Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls

“Yuma shoulders the burden of a broken immigration and border system. For too long, our community has been asked to do the impossible with little to no resources or help from the federal government. I am grateful for Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema’s leadership in writing the most important bipartisan border security legislation in decades, and I hope Congress quickly passes it to help fix the broken border and give Yuma the help we need."

Yuma County Supervisor Lynne Pancrazi

Arizona leaders say that the border package deal will help reassert control of the border, enhance security, stop the overwhelming flow of migrants, and provide long-awaited relief to Arizona communities.

“Arizona stands united for a stronger, safer border. The bipartisan Senate agreement represents a critical opportunity to achieve this. It's time for action. Congress faces a choice: bipartisan problem-solving or political gamesmanship. We must prioritize providing a safe, secure, and humane border as we work to keep our communities safe."

Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs

“Border communities disproportionately shoulder the burden of our immigration system. The bipartisan border bill in the U.S. Senate provides needed resources to U.S. Border Patrol and the courts to do their jobs, process asylum claims and secure the border. I am pleased Senators Lankford and Sinema have facilitated a bi-partisan effort to author this legislation and I hope for swift passage of this package into law."

Former Arizona Governor and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano

“We applaud Senator Sinema and the bipartisan efforts that have been put forward in addressing a national security threat that is impacting our border communities. We have long advocated for more border security and policies that will address the issues and concerns that border states like Arizona have been plagued with. We support the efforts and feel this is the first step in addressing border security and closing the loopholes in our immigration policies that only Congress can address. The failure to act has impacted the entire county, particularly those farm and ranch families living along the border. We must make our borders safe and secure, and it is simply time for Congress to act. Every day in which we accept the status quo the problem will become even more difficult to fix. We realize this bill isn’t perfect but also know there is an opportunity to continue to work with lawmakers toward meaningful policy solutions that will further address our broken immigration system."

Stefanie Smallhouse, President of the Arizona Farm Bureau

According to a press release, the National Border Patrol Council also endorsed the bipartisan bill yesterday.

“Since Joe Biden has been in office, CBP has averaged over 8,000 apprehensions per day and the vast majority of these illegal immigrants have been released under a policy known as catch-and-release. Approximately 60% of all border apprehensions are single adults, a good number of whom are military age men.

The Border Act of 2024 will give U.S. Border Patrol agents authorities codified, in law, that we have not had in the past.  This will allow us to remove single adults expeditiously and without a lengthy judicial review which historically has required the release of these individuals into the interior of the United States. 

This alone will drop illegal border crossings nationwide and will allow our agents to get back to detecting and apprehending those who want to cross our borders illegally and evade apprehension. While not perfect, the Border Act of 2024 is a step in the right direction and is far better than the current status quo. This is why the National Border Patrol Council endorses this bill and hopes for its quick passage."

Brandon Judd, President of the National Border Patrol Council

To read the bipartisan bill, click HERE, to read a brief summary of the bill, click HERE.

According to a press release, the bipartisan bill reasserts control of the border, protects border communities, disrupts the flow of fentanyl into the country, and solves the border crisis by ending catch and release.

It also plans to strengthen the asylum system by delivering determinations efficiently and fairly, enhancing security, and improving the legal immigration system.