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Arizona governor doubles down on defending Trump tariff threat

Ducey brushed off the cost to Arizonans, saying the proposed tariffs are a "national security" issue.

PHOENIX — With President Donald Trump threatening to slap tariffs on Mexican imports in a week, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey isn't backing down from his support for the president—even though Arizona consumers would be hit hard. 

In an occasionally combative scrum with reporters Monday, Ducey dodged questions about the potential cost to Arizonans, defended the tariffs as vital to national security, and the media wasn't reporting on the migrant surge. 

WATCH: Raw video from Gov. Doug Ducey’s scrum with reporters Monday on his support for President Trump’s threat to slap tariffs on imports from Mexico

The governor made the same unsupported claim about the media in March, when Trump threatened to shut down the U.S.-Mexico border.

RELATED: 'Unprecedented' number of migrants crossing the southern border, CBP Commissioner says

"You're trying to steer this into a place where you're going to pit me against national security," Ducey said when I asked why Arizonans should pay what amounts to a tax for an unclear plan to reduce migrant flows.

"This is a national issue. Arizona is a border state and that's what I'm going to advocate for," Ducey said.

Economists say the president's tariffs on Arizona's largest trading partner would get passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices on everything from vegetables to vehicles.

The estimated cost of the first round of 5% tariffs, scheduled for June 10, is $65 for every person in Arizona, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The price tag would rise if the tariffs escalated, as Trump has threatened.

RELATED: Trump's proposed Mexico tariffs could cost you more

Ducey brushed off the cost estimates.

"The U.S. Chamber is going to prioritize commerce. That's why they're called the 'Chamber of Commerce,'" Ducey said. "The Arizona governor is going to prioritize public safety. You can do both."

Border apprehensions in the U.S. this spring have hit a 10-year high under President Trump. 

The White House claims the tariffs would force Mexico to clamp down on Central American migrants crossing its border and then our Southwestern border.

Immigration experts say it's likely the tariffs might increase migrant flows if Mexico's economy suffers.

Ducey is the only one of the four Southwestern border governors who support the president's tariff threat. Fellow Republican Greg Abbott of Texas is opposed, as are Democrats Gavin Newsom of California and Michelle Lujan Grisham of New Mexico.

In Arizona, Republican Sen. Martha McSally, who was appointed by Ducey in December, says she opposes the tariffs.

GOP Congressman David Schweikert of Fountain Hills, who faces a tough re-election in 2020, also opposes the tariffs.

Only one member of the state's congressional delegation—Rep. Andy Biggs of Gilbert—has publicly come out in support of the Trump tariffs. 

RELATED: Trump digs in on Mexican import tariffs despite uproar

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