Ciscomani tours Arizona border with Speaker McCarthy, other members of Congress

U.S. Rep Juan Ciscoman, center, hosted Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy and three other members of Congress on a tour of Arizona's southern border. - Contributed Photo

Contributed article

ARIZONA — Congressman Juan Ciscomani, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy and three other members of congress — Reps. Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Jen Kiggans and Derrick Van Orden — heard directly from border residents and local officials on the impact of an unsecure border on Arizona communities.

“President Biden has completely ignored this crisis and it’s communities like ours who are paying the price,” Ciscomani said. “The sheer volume of deadly drugs like fentanyl that are crossing our border is alarming — and as a father to six, it’s what keeps you up at night. President Biden needs to take immediate action — this crisis cannot be allowed to continue.”

McCarthy echoed those comments.

“Today, more than 300 Americans will be poisoned and die from fentanyl,” McCarthy said at a press conference following the tour. “You’re looking at a place that much of it comes through. Tomorrow, there will be 300 more. That’s the equivalent of an airline crashing. If an airline crashed in America every single day, by the third day, the entire nation would wake up and say, ‘We need to fix the problem.’ Well, I’ll promise you this, the new majority in Congress — we are going to fight to fix this problem.”

The congressional delegation, which included members from Oregon, Wisconsin and Virginia, got a firsthand understanding of the crisis that the Biden administration has failed to deal with.

The visit began with a briefing at the headquarters of Tucson Sector of U.S. Border Patrol. Members heard directly from Border Patrol leadership about the status of the border, the critical work they do to protect the nation and what they need to continue advancing their mission of public safety.

From there, the members of Congress embarked on an aerial tour of Arizona’s Southern Border, giving them an overview of the Southeastern Arizona border region.

The delegation then participated in a community roundtable with local law enforcement, local elected officials and county residents to hear of the local effects the crisis has had on the county. Community members described how local resources are being stretched with the large influx of migrants and drug trafficking. Fentanyl was highlighted as a top concern, particularly for young people.

As of last spring, fentanyl was the leading cause of death among teenagers in Pima County, the largest of Arizona’s four border counties.

The final stop was on the border. Members of the delegation viewed segments of the border wall and heard from Border Patrol agents, local law enforcement, and community members on the challenges presented on the border.

“I’m grateful to have Speaker McCarthy and my colleagues out here to see the reality of what Arizonans have been facing for years,” Ciscomani said. “This visit provided us valuable insight into the struggles and opportunities that being a border region offers. I look forward to bringing these lessons back to Washington and working with my colleagues to bring home results for our constituents.”

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