Arizona's Ducey Calls in National Guard to Border, Urges Biden to 'Do Anything' With Migrant Crisis

The urgent plea comes amid the ongoing migrant crisis at the US southern border that is unprecedented in recent history. Moeover, concerns have intensified due to the emergence of the omicron COVID-19 variant, with a fresh caravan of illegal migrants nearing the US border, sparking fears about a possible rise in infection cases.

After thousands of migrants rushed the state's border with Mexico in recent days, Arizona's Republican Governor Doug Ducey said he plans to deploy the Arizona National Guard and strategize with Border Patrol agents, as the Biden administration has failed to address what he called a "federal issue."

Ducey visited Yuma, where he said the state's border problem has been "escalating" and urged President Joe Biden to send a strong federal response to the state.

"Mr. President, do something – do anything," Ducey said at a news conference near the border on Tuesday, adding that the issue was "federal," local news channel KPNX reported.

The Biden administration’s misdirection is encouraging migrant families to take a long and dangerous journey. As thousands arrive at the border, local law enforcement is overwhelmed with processing.

We’re taking action to keep Arizonans & migrants safe. @12news @brahmresnik 1/ pic.twitter.com/GLJjXtDy3A

— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) December 8, 2021

The governor spoke beside a gap in the wall separating Arizona and Mexico, bringing attention to the incomplete wall on the southern border that the Republican governors of the bordering states have called for.

Ducey's visit came one day after former President Donald Trump's "Remain in Mexico" policy was reinstated by the Biden administration after the US Supreme Court backed a Texas judge's ruling.

However, Ducey claimed that elements of Remain in Mexico that helped Texas control its borders were driving more migrants to Arizona instead.

The governor also announced that the National Guard would send 24 Guard members, six trucks, four all-terrain vehicles, and one light utility helicopter to the Yuma region to assist in border control.

"My thanks to the men and women of the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the members of the Arizona National Guard, the team at the Arizona Department of Homeland Security, members of the Border Patrol, and the entire law enforcement community for your commitment to protecting Arizonans," Ducey said.

We’re announcing today that @AZNationalGuard is repositioning assets to deploy personnel, trucks, cars and ATVs, a helicopter and more to fill the void in leadership left by President Biden. 1/ pic.twitter.com/Kqbf8AMyyG

— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) December 7, 2021

According to the governor, cameras recording the press conference captured almost a dozen immigrants attempting to enter Arizona as Ducey was speaking.

Ducey and a number of other Republicans have long chastised Biden, as well as Vice President Kamala Harris and other administration officials, for failing to adequately respond to the migrant influx and other concerns affecting border towns in the US.

KPNX reported that officials accompanying Ducey in Yuma stated an estimated 5,000 migrants attempted to reach the area on Sunday. And according to Border Report, another 1,500 migrants attempted to reach Yuma on Monday.

Yuma is facing an escalating humanitarian and border crisis — and it’s a direct result of the Biden administration’s poor communication, lack of organization and complete disregard for border protection. 1/ pic.twitter.com/HSz7Y5zkjC

— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) December 6, 2021

The Yuma Sector of the US Border Patrol reported multiple large groups attempting to enter around Thanksgiving weekend in late November in a Facebook post earlier this month.

According to officials, arriving migrants were found to be from nearly 30 countries, including such exotic and distant locales as Lebanon, Nepal, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

Last fiscal year, which ended in October, more than 1.7 million migrants were encountered at the southern border, which is more than the previous two years combined, according to CBP data. More than 164,000 interactions occurred at the southern border in October, a 128% increase from the same month last year.