Senator Ruben Gallego hosts town meeting in San Luis
Ruben Gallego visited Yuma County on Thursday to host a town hall meeting focused on understanding how immigration and workforce issues are affecting border communities in the San Luis-Yuma area. It marked his first town hall in the region centered specifically on the real-world challenges residents face in a border community.
Gallego entered the meeting room to a round of applause as community members gathered to share concerns and ask questions. Throughout the roughly hour-long event, the senator addressed a range of topics, including educational funding for an area with Title One schools and the energy and water demands of one of the state’s most agriculturally productive regions.
However, immigration policy and the role of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement were at the forefront of the discussion. Gallego spoke about the impact he believes current tensions are having on the region, particularly in communities that have long maintained close economic and cultural ties with Mexico.
“People that come here legally with Visas are even afraid to cross the border, uh, and they don’t like is the, the kind of antagonistic relationship that we’re building with Mexico because this area, and Arizona, has had a great relationship with Mexico for many years that has really been driving the economy for quite awhile,” Gallego said.
Addressing concerns about illegal border crossings, Gallego emphasized what he described as the need to distinguish between individuals who pose a threat and those who contribute positively to their communities.
“Let’s have professional immigration enforcement. Let’s deport the criminals. Let’s deport the people that are causing problems in our neighborhood. Everyone else - let’s give them a background check. Make them pay a fine. Make them get in the back of the line. Give them, you know, a temporary Visa, and if after a couple of years prove themselves to be good residents, then we can decide where to go from there,” he said.
Gallego also expressed confidence that immigration reform does not have to be a strictly partisan effort. He suggested there is bipartisan recognition of the economic benefits tied to immigration, particularly in border states like Arizona.
“I don’t think this has to wait for Democrats to take over. I think there’s a lot of Republicans, Republican businessmen that realize like, you know, and women, that, you know, immigration, especially legal immigration is actually good for this country, right. And we all are stronger and more prosperous when we have people coming here and working,” Gallego said.
The town hall featured extensive back-and-forth between the senator and local residents, with community members raising questions and sharing personal experiences. In addition to immigration, discussions touched on workforce challenges, school funding, and infrastructure needs unique to the San Luis-Yuma area, underscoring the complexity of issues facing Arizona’s border communities.
