Arizona governor to visit Mexico border amid migrant surge

DOUGLAS, Ariz. (AP) — Gov. Doug Ducey is headed to the Arizona-Mexico border Friday as the region experiences a surge in migrants.

Ducey, a Republican, will fly over the area of the small border city of Douglas and hold a roundtable discussion, according to his office.

He’ll be joined by several Republican lawmakers, local officials and Republican Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who leads the Senate GOP’s campaign arm.

Ducey met with border and emergency management authorities on Wednesday. He’s joined Republicans in blaming President Joe Biden for fueling the problems.

Biden lifted some of former President Donald Trump’s restrictive immigration policies when he took office, though the surge began while Trump was still in office.

While the number of migrants caught trying to cross the border from Mexico has been rising since April, the 100,441 encountered last month was the highest figure since March 2019. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has said the number is tracking toward a 20-year high.

Many of the recent arrivals are families and children traveling alone, who enjoy more legal protections and require greater care.