Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls takes a tour with Marines at the border

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - City of Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls got a firsthand look at what U.S. Marines are doing to support security along the border.

Mayor Nicholls recently toured the newly designated National Defense Area, established by presidential directive to strengthen security along the southern border.

"It just helped me reinforce how important the Marine Corps and the Army assets are here in the Yuma area," says Nicholls.

As part of their mission, Marines are conducting patrols, installing barriers, and temporarily detaining people who unlawfully cross into the area.

Nicholls says, "It really lets those that are trying to cross nefariously, it puts them on notice that we're not messing around. Border Patrol does a great job; they have limited resources. This helps expand and multiply those resources."

During his visit, Nicholls was shown the areas in need of reinforcement, how military personnel are operating, and a look at new tools and technologies to support Border Patrol agents on the ground.

"This is a good way to really reinforce a very rugged area. Having them with their capabilities and being able to help Border Patrol in that area will be very beneficial," he explained.

Nicholls says he views the military presence as a long-term investment in border security.

"For me, it helps create a long-term stability element along the border, regardless of how immigration laws might be interpreted or the policies developed off of those, this creates a very consistent attitude or stance on the border," he shared.

He adds the reinforcement is already making a difference with unlawful crossings dropping to just three per day, a significant improvement compared to last year.