The federal government says delays are bound to occur with impending construction on Arizona’s second-busiest border entry point.
The 16-acre San Luis I Land Port of Entry, established in 1984, will undergo another series of renovations beginning June 20 to improve its operations and infrastructure. Construction on this leg of the project will last approximately four to five months per Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
The forthcoming construction is part of a greater $356 million expansion and modernization project which pledges to make San Luis I Land Port of Entry an “eco-friendly gateway” as the “first fully electric, net-zero energy land port of entry” in the country. Construction work on the port of entry began in 2023 and is scheduled to conclude in the spring of 2029.
The port expansion and modernization project was announced in 2024 under former President Joe Biden as a major “green expansion” initiative for his Investing in America agenda. Nearly $100 million of the total project funding came from the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) subsidies for “low-embodied carbon construction materials and emerging and sustainable technologies.”
IRA funds also went to 37 other land port of entry projects. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-AZ) and former Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) both endorsed the project and its net-zero approach.
The IRA appropriated $3.4 billion for GSA to institute net-zero emissions infrastructure reforms in federal facilities across America by 2045.
The General Services Administration (GSA) has stated in its public project summary for the port of entry that the current infrastructure has proven inadequate to handle traffic volumes and CBP mission requirements.
“The modernization and expansion project will improve efficiencies and traffic flows, reduce wait times, increase CBP processing capacity and operational security by effectively deploying the latest technology to identify high risk activity and shipments and combat drug trafficking,” stated the GSA.
In March, the GSA announced the San Luis I Land Port of Entry opened 16 new northbound vehicle lanes, doubling the previous capacity, covered with two shade canopies spanning 16,000 square feet.
The expansion and modernization project also includes a secondary vehicle processing area, additional pedestrian inspection lanes, and a new administrative facility. It further expands southbound privately owned vehicle operations with upgraded primary and secondary inspection and processing buildings, as well as expanded employee parking.
Last July, the Office of the Inspector General notified the GSA that contractors who hadn’t undergone the required security screening had worked on the port of entry expansion and modernization project.
Travelers seeking passage through the San Luis I Land Port of Entry should review border wait times on the CBP website or the mobile app, Border Wait Times.
The San Luis I Land Port of Entry encounters three million drivers and 2.5 million pedestrians annually, per GSA data.
The GSA awarded the design-build contract for the expansion and modernization effort to Hensel Phelps Construction Company in 2022, which is based out of Colorado and one of the biggest general contractors and construction managers nationwide.
Community stakeholder and civic leader briefings on the port of entry occurred in the spring of 2024.
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Rep. Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ-08) reportedly assisted with the capture of three illegal aliens while tagging along on a border security sweep.
Hamadeh traded the suit and tie preferred on Capitol Hill for military fatigues during a ride-along with Border Patrol on Tuesday. The congressman thanked the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office for arranging his participation in their immigration enforcement work.
Great honor to join our brave law enforcement officers, state and federal, who are working together in securing our border. Today, we assisted Border Patrol in capturing three illegal aliens.
The Pinal County Attorney’s Office and Board of Supervisors have been sparring over the former’s decision to enter into an agreement assisting Immigrations and Customs Enforcement with deportations. The board sued the county attorney, Brad Miller, over the agreement.
The Pinal County Superior Court issued a temporary restraining order on that agreement in February prior to the case’s transferral to the Maricopa County Superior Court, where it remains pending.
As part of that court-ordered halt, Miller agreed to not engage with ICE beyond information sharing.
Separately, a federal court ruled last month in favor of state laws enabling state and local police to arrest illegal aliens for immigration violations. The case was decided by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on the fate of a Texas law (Texas Senate Bill 4); the Biden administration initiated that lawsuit, but the Trump administration dropped it recently.
The court dismissed the case after determining that the one county and two civil rights groups that remained as the sole challengers to the Texas law lacked standing.
That appeals court decision gave the green light to the Arizona Border Security Act, or Proposition 314, which was passed by Arizona voters in 2024. Gov. Katie Hobbs attempted to terminate that legislation through veto, but a majority of Arizona voters proved to support the measure.
The Texas and Arizona laws, and others like them, will likely face challenges for the foreseeable future. Civil rights groups filed a lawsuit to stop the Texas law on Monday.
🚨 Huge news! The Arizona Border Security Act will go into effect!
The 5th Circuit just ruled that Texas SB 4 can finally take effect — giving state and local police the power to arrest illegal border crossers.
Arizona voters made their position crystal clear in 2024,…
A hearing is scheduled for May 15 at 9 am before Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Michael Gordon.
Southwest land border encounters have declined steeply since President Donald Trump took office. Border encounters went from all-time highs of several million per fiscal year (over 2.4 million in fiscal year 2023, and over 2.1 million in fiscal year 2024) to one-fourth previous totals (over 400,000 in fiscal year 2025).
At this point in the last fiscal year, southwest land border encounters were approximately 380,700. For this fiscal year, there have been just over 63,700 encounters: approximately one-sixth the total from the same point in time the last fiscal year.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection fiscal years run from October of the previous year to September of the current year (fiscal year 2026 runs from October 2025 to September 2026).
While Arizona’s Republican elected officials in Congress have offered their support for immigration enforcement, Democratic representatives have worked to slow or halt immigration enforcement.
Congresswomen Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ-07) and Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ-03) have both dedicated significant taxpayer resources to assisting illegal aliens and opposing ICE.
AZ Free News reported last week that nearly half of Grijalva’s press releases since taking office have concerned a defense of illegal aliens or opposition to ICE. Nearly one-third of her X posts since taking office were defenses of illegal aliens, demands to abolish ICE, or opposition to immigration enforcement. Three of her 14 non-recognition remarks on the congressional record were focused on opposing ICE and immigration enforcement.
Grijalva and Ansari, along with Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ-04) and Democratic Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego, have made multiple trips to immigration detention centers, independently and as a group. The Democratic officials have referred to illegal aliens as their constituents.
Last week, Grijalva, Ansari, and Stanton introduced legislation to limit detention periods of illegal aliens to 12 hours.
AZ Free News is your #1 source for Arizona news and politics. You can send us news tips using this link.
Arizona Republican Party Chairman Sergio Arellano criticized U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego in a statement this week, alleging the two lawmakers have put First Amendment protections at risk by opposing funding for the United States Secret Service.
The statement from the Arizona Republican Party followed an incident at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C., on April 25, which led to a suspect being charged with attempting to assassinate the president.
Arellano criticized media coverage of President Donald Trump as well as the two senators, writing that “while the fake news has created the environment that has fostered four unsuccessful assassination attempts against President Donald Trump, it is Arizona’s two senators, Ruben Gallego and Mark Kelly, who are ultimately responsible because they have continually refused to approve funding for the Secret Service.”
AZGOP Chair Arellano @SurgeShow : Senators Kelly and Gallego put First Amendment at Risk by Denying Funding for USSShttps://t.co/fB4mxQMpmE
He argued that the senators’ actions jeopardize constitutional protections, including those outlined in the First Amendment.
“Like me, both men swore an oath to protect and defend the Constitution when they entered the Armed Services, and most of us veterans know intimately that ‘freedom isn’t free,’” Arellano said. “It appears that either Senators Kelly and Gallego don’t understand that basic concept, or they have willingly violated their oath to protect and defend the Constitution, including the First Amendment, which was under attack Saturday night.”
In January 2026, both senators were among Democrats who voted to block a Department of Homeland Security funding measure amid ongoing negotiations over immigration enforcement policies.
At the time, Gallego said he would not support additional DHS funding without changes to how immigration enforcement agencies operate, while Kelly also indicated opposition to the funding bill under consideration.
The Department of Homeland Security includes multiple agencies, including the Secret Service, Customs and Border Protection, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Congressional funding measures for DHS typically cover these agencies collectively rather than separately.
The AZGOP statement did not cite a specific vote or bill related solely to Secret Service funding.
The DOJ confirmed in a press release Monday that Cole Tomas Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, was charged with one count of attempting to assassinate the President of the United States, transportation of a firearm and ammunition in interstate commerce with intent to commit a felony, and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence.
As of publication, neither Kelly nor Gallego had publicly responded to the AZGOP statement.
Arizona’s elected leaders reacted along a partisan divide to the U.S. attack to liberate Iran from the Islamic regime.
Arizona’s Republican congressional officials have signaled support for President Donald Trump’s decision to launch a joint military operation against Iran, and called for an end to the partial government shutdown to ensure full funding for this military venture.
Arizona’s Democratic officials oppose the attack. They are looking to compel a vote on the War Powers Resolution, though all conceded their opposition to the continued existence of the Iranian regime.
Early Saturday morning, the U.S. and Israel attacked over a dozen areas across Iran, at least, including the capital Tehran. The attacks resulted from Iran’s failures to meet nuclear negotiations. Iran retaliated with missile strikes without success.
Key fatalities include several senior Iranian officials. The fate of Iran’s longtime supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, remains disputed as of this report. A spokesman for Iran’s foreign ministry claimed Khamenei was alive. However, President Donald Trump announced on Saturday afternoon that Khamenei was dead.
“[Khamenei] was unable to avoid our Intelligence and Highly Sophisticated Tracking Systems and, working closely with Israel, there was not a thing he, or the other leaders that have been killed along with him, could do. This is the single greatest chance for the Iranian people to take back their Country,” said Trump.
Trump said the bombings would continue until peace was achieved in the Middle East.
Trump urged Iranians to conduct a regime change in an address shared to social media early Saturday morning. Trump said the U.S. attacked Iran to eliminate threats to the American regime.
“I say tonight that the hour of freedom is at hand,” said Trump. “When we are finished, take over your government, it will be yours to take. This will be probably your only chance for generations. For many years you have asked for America’s help but you never got it. No president was willing to do what I am willing to do tonight.”
To the Islamic Revolutionary Guard, armed forces, and police, Trump advised them to cease their resistance.
“Lay down your arms and you will be treated fairly with total immunity, or you will face certain death,” said Trump.
Rep. Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ08) called on Democrats in Congress to end the partial government shutdown in order to provide full funding to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Amid the developing situation in the Middle East, it is critical that @DHSgov be fully funded and all services operational.
It's time for Mark Kelly, Ruben Gallego, and the rest of the Schumer Democrats to end their obstruction and join Congressional Republicans in keeping…
— Office of Congressman Abe Hamadeh (@RepAbeHamadeh) February 28, 2026
Rep. Juan Ciscomani (R-AZ06) said Iran chose this escalation, not the U.S.
“Today’s action by President Trump sends a clear message: the Iranian regime’s aggression and destabilizing threats will not go unanswered,” said Ciscomani. “For decades, the Iranian regime has funded terror, attacked our allies, and threatened American servicemembers.”
Today’s action by President Trump sends a clear message: the Iranian regime’s aggression and destabilizing threats will not go unanswered. For decades, the Iranian regime has funded terror, attacked our allies, and threatened American servicemembers. President Trump and his…
Rep. Yassamin Ansari (D-AZ03) expressed reluctance to recognize Trump’s authority to launch a war without congressional authorization. Ansari’s parents came to the U.S. as Iranian refugees of the Islamic regime.
“Consistent with my previous votes, public statements, and the consensus in my district, I believe no president — Republican or Democrat — has the authority to launch military strikes of this magnitude without Congressional approval,” said Ansari. “I want a free Iran and a future of democracy and dignity for the Iranian people. Those goals must be part of a coherent strategy that does not risk chaos or another endless war in the Middle East and require seriousness and leadership equal to the stakes.”
Rep. Greg Stanton (D-AZ04) said none would mourn the collapse of the Islamic Republic, but that Trump was wrong for launching such an attack.
“[T]he United States cannot be dragged into another open-ended foreign war. Americans know the cost of conflicts with no clear strategy, no defined objectives, and no end in sight, and they do not want to repeat those mistakes,” said Stanton.
My thoughts are with all U.S. service members and personnel in harm’s way, and I pray they return home safely.
The Iranian regime has murdered Americans, violently repressed its own people, and fueled instability across the region. No one will mourn its collapse.
Rep. Adelita Grijalva (D-AZ07) accused Trump of entering the U.S. into another “forever war,” characterizing this latest attack as both reckless and needless.
“Taking the United States into a major military conflict without debate or the consent of the people’s representatives is a clear violation of Congress’s constitutional war powers,” said Grijalva.
Trump’s attacks on Iran are completely reckless, blatantly unconstitutional, and needlessly put our troops and innocent civilians in harm’s way.
Taking the United States into a major military conflict without debate or the consent of the people’s representatives is a clear…
Sen. Ruben Gallego claimed there was another pathway for the U.S. supporting Iranian regime change without going to war.
“Young working-class kids should not pay the ultimate price for regime change and a war that hasn’t been explained or justified to the American people,” said Gallego. “Strikes are underway and Congress hasn’t voted. No President gets to drag working-class Americans into another war without authorization.”
Tim is right. Strikes are underway and Congress hasn’t voted. No President gets to drag working-class Americans into another war without authorization. Bring the Senate back. Take the vote. https://t.co/mwzaFwNwoF
Sen. Mark Kelly, like Grijalva, questioned Trump’s promise of keeping the U.S. out of war.
“The Iranian people deserve freedom. They deserve the right to choose their own leaders. So, what’s the plan for what comes next?” said Kelly. “I don’t think Donald Trump knows the answer, and that’s dangerous when American lives are on the line.”
After promising to keep America out of war and instead focus on lowering costs for families, Donald Trump has launched a large-scale military operation against Iran.
We’ve seen this playbook before. Weeks of inflated claims, selective facts, and talk of imminent threats that led…
Senator Mark Kelly was spotted at the Munich Security Conference cozying up to George Soros’ successor son, Alex Soros.
The annual conference in Germany gathers policymakers and various industry leaders to discuss international security policy. Soros, chair of the Open Society Foundations, posted a picture with Kelly, as well as other top Democratic lawmakers.
Alex Soros’s photo dump (posted on Facebook, not here) from the Munich Security Conference. A hug with Gavin Newsom, a tender hand-hold with Nancy Pelosi, pointing out something on a piece of paper to Chris Murphy pic.twitter.com/bPeQiqDJdT
Among the keynote speakers was Secretary of State Marco Rubio: his speech denounced “globalist policies” to include unchecked free trade and open borders approaches to immigration. Rubio said the Trump administration was focused on the “renewal and restoration” of America’s Western heritage by reversing on deindustrialization, mass migration, and globalization.
“But the euphoria of [the Berlin Wall] triumph led us to a dangerous delusion: that we had entered, quote, ‘the end of history’; that every nation would now be a liberal democracy; that the ties formed by trade and by commerce alone would now replace nationhood; that the rules-based global order — an overused term — would now replace the national interest; and that we would now live in a world without borders where everyone became a citizen of the world. This was a foolish idea that ignored both human nature and it ignored the lessons of over 5,000 years of recorded human history. And it has cost us dearly. In this delusion, we embraced a dogmatic vision of free and unfettered trade, even as some nations protected their economies and subsidized their companies to systematically undercut ours – shuttering our plants, resulting in large parts of our societies being deindustrialized, shipping millions of working and middle-class jobs overseas, and handing control of our critical supply chains to both adversaries and rivals.”
Kelly criticized this approach of national interests over the current globalist tendencies within international governance as destabilizing for the U.S. Kelly claimed that the U.S. has lost its allies under Trump.
“It took a World War and eight decades to build the strongest alliance that this world had ever seen. It took less than a year to practically destroy it. When Secretary Rubio said the ‘old world order was dead’ during his speech in Munich he was right. It’s dead because Donald Trump blew it up,” said Kelly. “This means these countries are looking elsewhere for trade and security — that makes you poorer and less safe.”
Observations From The Munich Security Conference –
It took a World War and eight decades to build the strongest alliance that this world had ever seen. It took less than a year to practically destroy it. When Secretary Rubio said the “old world order was dead” during his speech…
Also present and critical of Rubio and the Trump administration was Sen. Ruben Gallego; he spoke as a panelist on “Western Hemisfever: Security in the Americas.”
Gallego called the Venezuelan strike a “bad precedent,” which he characterized as “escapism of rules-based order.” Gallego criticized Trump’s approach to Latin America, arguing the U.S. should have increased capital there to compete with China.
“Our relationship with Latin America does not have to take one of a defensive posture. We have aligned interests of keeping China out,” said Gallego. “We need to have another entity, another region that is just as powerful as the European Union to help us counterbalance the market that China gets to command. Going into the future, if we don’t have a prosperous Latin America, and a prosperous European Union, and a prosperous United States, we’re not going to be able to meet the demands of China.”
Gallego predicted a regime change in Cuba would come next.
Rep. Yassamin Ansari spoke as a panelist on “Under Reconstruction: A World Order for the Next Generation.” Much of her remarks were critiques of the Trump administration.
Ansari said the U.S. has done “not enough” for younger generations to provide “transformational change.” Ansari said the Trump administration was the “most corrupt and authoritarian administration in United States history.” Ansari said climate policies needed to be more aggressive than the Paris Climate Accords.
Ansari said it wasn’t necessary to “fix” things at home before approaching fixes for a world order. She said her ideal administrations going forward would implement a wealth tax, abolish all immigration enforcement, and subsidize health care, homeownership, and childcare.
No Republicans representing Arizona were scheduled to speak at the conference.
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