by Corinne Murdock | Aug 25, 2022 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
On Tuesday, Arizona finished the border wall gaps in Yuma. The state began closing the wall 11 days ago, on Friday, August 13.
Governor Doug Ducey celebrated the state’s rapid securement of the border the following day, the conclusion of an executive order which he dubbed the “Border Barrier Mission.”
“We did it,” wrote Ducey. “Yuma is safer today.”
In a press release, Ducey declared that his action didn’t mean the federal government was off the hook for border security. Ducey insinuated that Arizona’s quick action proved that the Biden administration didn’t really want the border closed.
“In just 11 days, Arizona did the job the federal government has failed to do — and we showed them just how quickly and efficiently the border can be made more secure – if you want to,” declared Ducey.
The state closed five gaps amounting to over 3,800 feet in the border wall. Securing the wall took 130 shipping containers and 48 workers, coming in at a cost of over $6 million. By comparison, the Biden administration spent an estimated $3 million every day — around $2 billion total — to not complete the border wall, per President Joe Biden’s proclamation.
The governor’s office secured the funding through border security legislation passed in the most recent legislative session: HB2317 from State Representative John Kavanagh (R-Fountain Hills) codified June 30.
Ducey relayed that the Biden administration promised Arizona last December that it would close the Yuma border wall gaps. No construction has taken place. Ducey noted that Yuma communities and their resources, such as nonprofits, food banks, and shelters, were overburdened by the illegal immigrant crisis. The area’s agriculture, the lifeblood of their economy, also suffered due to the travel of illegal immigrants.
In the press release, Yuma Mayor Douglas Nicholls expressed gratitude for Ducey’s action.
“Every day hundreds of people come across the border into the Yuma area,” said Nicholls. “By closing the border wall gaps, Governor Ducey is helping to protect our city from the dangerous drugs and bad actors that come through on a daily basis. Yuma is grateful for the effective process of getting these containers in place quickly and secured. Governor Ducey showed the nation how to secure the border and keep illegal activity at the border at bay.”
Yuma County Supervisor Jonathan Lines also commended Ducey and excoriated the Biden administration for its inaction.
“The open border left behind by the Biden administration has left Yuma County residents exhausted and our resources depleted,” said Lines. “We’re tired of the lethal drugs and human smuggling entering our county. These containers are making a huge difference and will disrupt the cartels’ trafficking operations. Thank you, Governor Ducey, for prioritizing our county and protecting our families.”
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Terri Jo Neff | Jan 26, 2022 | Economy, News
By Terri Jo Neff |
Gilbert-based Horne Auto Group has added another automotive dealership to its list of holdings.
Last month, the family-owned and operated company completed its purchase of Sonora Nissan in Yuma. The dealership, which has been rebranded as Horne Nissan Yuma, is the company’s second Nissan dealership.
The acquisition brings roughly 34 more employees under the Horne Auto Group umbrella, for an all-location employee total of 474.
Horne Auto Group’s other dealerships are Champion Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram of Nogales, Horne Auto Center Featuring Chevrolet in Show Low, Horne Cadillac in Show Low, Horne Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Globe, Horne Ford of Nogales, Horne Freedom Ford in Thatcher, Horne Genesis of Apache Junction and Mesa, Horne Kia in Gilbert, Horne Lincoln of Nogales, Horne Mazda in Tempe, Horne Subaru in Show Low, Robert Horne Ford in Apache Junction, Horne Hyundai in Apache Junction, and Horne Nissan in Globe.
The company also owns Horne Collision Center of Show Low, Horne Motors in Mesa, and Horne Motors in Show Low.
The Horne family has been in Arizona for over 140 years, when Henry James Horne settled in Mesa in 1880. His grandson, Gail B. Horne, co-founded the Henry and Horne CPA Firm in 1957, which was later joined by Gail’s son Robert C. Horne.
In 1991, Robert C. Horne purchased a small Chevrolet dealership in Show Low. From that small start, he and sons Aaron, Adam, Andrew, Michael and son-in-law Martin P. Jones have grown the company into what is now Horne Auto Group.
by Corinne Murdock | Jan 12, 2022 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
President Joe Biden’s border crisis hasn’t slowed down in the least, as was made apparent by recent evidence that illegal immigrant detention centers continue to be well over their capacity nearly a year after his administration began. Last week, leaked photos given to the Washington Examiner revealed the current state of one Yuma detention center. The pictures depict accommodations akin to those used by the hoards of homeless overcrowding deep blue cities like San Francisco, California, or Seattle, Washington: illegal immigrants huddled under makeshift tarp tents, touching elbows in areas with standing room only, nestled shoulder to shoulder with their belongings along hallways, or packed together on floors to sleep in space blankets.
Insiders involved with the detention center reported that the number of those detained surpassed the space available inside for the nighttime, forcing illegal immigrants to sleep outside under the makeshift tents in the freezing or near-freezing weather outdoors.
The insiders further informed the Washington Examiner that Biden’s border crisis upended the normal ebb and flow of illegal immigration: the usual easing up of illegal crossings around the holidays didn’t occur last year.
Border Patrol Yuma Sector union President Rafa Rivera told the news outlet that no CDC guidelines can be followed due to overcrowding.
Former Arizona Supreme Court Justice Andrew Gould explained to AZ Free News that the detention facility numbers seen currently are two to four times normal capacity; under normal circumstances, the sites cost taxpayers about $8 million a month in operational expenses.
Gould added that the overcrowding has minimized some in recent weeks — from around 3,000 to 1,200 thanks to greater efforts by law enforcement to secure the border. Authorities were prompted to take further action as illegal immigrants were trampling the area’s agricultural fields as they traveled. Yuma County serves as one of the nation’s premiere suppliers in winter produce, calling itself the “winter vegetable capital of the world.”
“90 percent of the [winter] produce in the country comes out of Yuma. It’s a critical area for food and food safety and producing food,” said Gould. “The illegal immigrants are basically trampling down crops in fields. Not only are they destroying crops but they’re crops that are highly regulated. Preventing any type of contamination in those fields is important because it puts our food supply at risk.”
Gould also pointed out that many illegal immigrants, especially those from Mexico, don’t have access to good health care. He explained that the detained expose border patrol and any others present to serious disease like tuberculosis, on top of COVID-19. He questioned why the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has focused on all other workplaces, especially throughout the pandemic, but hasn’t intervened with these detention centers.
“Nationwide, OSHA is mandated to protect workplace safety but I haven’t seen anything about OSHA about the workplace conditions of border patrol agents workpace sites,” mused Gould.
It’s not just the temperatures and sanitary issues, especially with the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, that have caused concern. Illegal Haitian immigrants have become increasingly violent as they continue to be deported back to Haiti, causing fights on the deportation flights or resisting arrest along the border.
Overcrowding in deportation centers shouldn’t come as a surprise, given that the number of encounters experienced over the course of days has equaled or surpassed what authorities would experience in a month or more.
As AZ Free News reported, Yuma Mayor Douglas Nicholls declared a state of emergency early last month after authorities captured the number of illegal immigrants normally apprehended in a month’s time in five days: over 6,000 illegal immigrants. Per Customs and Border Patrol’s (CBP) latest report, over 173,600 illegal immigrants were apprehended in November.
Thousands of illegal immigrants in a matter of days has been more of a regular occurrence rather than an exception to the rule under the Biden Administration. About a week after Nicholls’ emergency declaration, Yuma Sector Chief Patrol Agent Chris Clem announced the encounter of over 2,600 illegal immigrants in one weekend.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by Corinne Murdock | Oct 9, 2021 | News
By Corinne Murdock |
More illegal immigrants from Uzbekistan were discovered crossing the Yuma, Arizona border.
Townhall reporter Julio Rosas discovered this less-common variant of illegal immigrant while visiting the Yuma border on Thursday.
“This family that just crossed the Colorado River told me they’re from Uzbekistan, that’s a first one for me,” wrote Rosas. “Three adult males who illegally crossed into the US here in Yuma showed me their Uzbekistan passports. They turned themselves in to the BP [border patrol] agent who was by the gap in the border wall.”
A small portion of Uzbekistan is bordered by Afghanistan in the south, while a majority of the country is bordered by Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, and Turkmenistan. A majority of the population are Uzbek, nearly all of whom are Sunni Muslim. The Taliban are also considered Sunni Muslim.
Reportedly, the Uzbek government has kept up strict border policies with Afghanistan historically. The Taliban’s advances leading to the takeover in August caused Uzbekistan and neighboring countries to increase their border security greatly.
It is unclear why there would be an influx of Uzbek illegal immigrants. Uzbekistan is one of the more prosperous and safe countries in Central Asia. From November to early spring of this year, protests broke out across the country as it faced power supply shortages aggravated by intense winter storms. However, these protests didn’t reach the severity of the 2005 Andijan Massacre, in which hundreds were shot to death during a protest to release 23 businessmen imprisoned over accusations of Islamic extremism.
Uzbek illegal immigrants aren’t an entirely new development for the border crisis. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reported in January an uptick in Uzbek illegal immigrants. CBP officials explained that those caught earlier this year were escaping persecution for homosexuality. Uzbeks that engage in homosexual relations can face up to three years in prison.
Under the Taliban, punishment for homosexuality includes being stoned to death, crushed under a wall, or thrown off a tall building.
Arizona’s Refugee Resettlement Program doesn’t have any data on Uzbek resettlement since 2015.
Corinne Murdock is a reporter for AZ Free News. Follow her latest on Twitter, or email tips to corinne@azfreenews.com.
by AZ Free News | Apr 22, 2021 | News
On Wednesday, Governor Doug Ducey and a delegation of state lawmakers travelled to Yuma to call on the Biden administration to address the escalating humanitarian and security crisis on the U.S. / Mexico border. The officials received a briefing from U.S. Border Patrol, local law enforcement and community leaders.
The Governor was joined by Senate President Karen Fann, House Speaker Rusty Bowers, Adjutant General Kerry Muehlenbeck, Yuma County Sheriff Leon Wilmot, Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls, Yuma County Supervisor Jonathon Lines, San Luis Mayor Jerry Sanchez, Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels, local agriculture leaders and other leaders and members of the legislature.
The officials received a briefing on Border Patrol operations from Chris T. Clem, Chief of the Border Patrol Yuma Sector. The Yuma Sector encompasses 126 miles of international border with Mexico, with three checkpoints currently manned by over 700 Border Patrol agents.
The tour follows the Governor’s Declaration of Emergency and decision to deploy the Arizona National Guard to the border to support law enforcement efforts.
Ducey declared a state of emergency in six counties including Cochise, Pima, Santa Cruz, Yuma, Maricopa and Pinal. The team of up to 250 Guardsmen, along with state troopers and other law enforcement agencies, will assist with medical operations in detention centers, install and maintain border cameras, monitor and collect data from public safety cameras, and analyze satellite imagery for current trends in smuggling corridors.
The state will provide up to $25 million in initial funding for the mission.
