PHOENIX — Gov. Katie Hobbs signed an executive order Friday to send the Arizona National Guard to southern Arizona. It comes one week after Hobbs sent a letter to President Joe Biden asking him to re-assign the Arizona National Guard to re-open the Lukeville Port of Entry which closed last week.
According to Hobbs' spokesman, Hobbs spoke with the Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
"The governor had a conversation with Secretary Mayorkas last night. He did not commit to any kind of timeline for reopening Lukeville," the spokesman said.
According to a press release, the National Guard will assist the Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement agencies as part of Operation SECURE.
“Mobilizing forces swiftly in support of our state and nation has been a longstanding mission for us, not a recent endeavor,” said Major General Kerry L. Muehlenbeck, Department of Emergency and Military Affairs Director and The Adjutant General of Arizona. “The National Guard will continue to remain ready to provide enhanced capabilities through the mobilization of well-trained and well-equipped personnel.”
Hobbs urged Biden to order the Guard to help reopen the Lukeville Port of Entry, 180 miles southeast of Phoenix and 150 miles southwest of Tucson, last week. The border crossing has been shut down since Dec. 4.
"Yet again, the federal government is refusing to do its job to secure our border and keep our communities safe,” Hobbs said. "With this Executive Order, I am taking action where the federal government won’t."
The National Guard members will be stationed at multiple locations along the southern border, including near both the Lukeville Port of Entry and the San Miguel crossing.
Lukeville is the border crossing for Arizonans heading to "Arizona's beach," in Puerto Penasco, known as Rocky Point.
Representative Greg Stanton (D) issued a statement praising Hobbs' decision to send National Guard members to the border.
“Arizonans can’t keep making up for the federal government’s failures,” Stanton said. “It’s past time for my colleagues here in Congress to put politics aside, and work across the aisle to get federal law enforcement the resources they need to do their jobs.”
>> This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
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