Sheriffs, county supervisors call BS on Gov. Doug Ducey’s border stunt

Ducey toured the border and asked the federal government for help a day after issuing a Declaration of Emergency and deploying the Arizona National Guard. Arizona Republic

Opinion: They didn’t want the National Guard, only some buses and drivers to transport asylum seekers.

Turns out there actually was a crisis on the border, as Gov. Doug Ducey claimed earlier this week.

It’s just that it wasn’t the kind of crisis Ducey needed to generate the cheap political publicity he was looking for, so he ignored the people he could have helped and sent in the National Guard.

Of course, this was after he made sure to get lots of pictures taken of himself trying to look tough near the border wall.

However, the good folks in the four border counties apparently were not looking for a puffed up governor or a military occupation, just some buses and drivers.

They want transportation, not troops

Brigadier Gen. Kerry L. Muehlenbeck speaks to the media as Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, left, listens on the U.S. and Mexico border outside of Yuma on April 21, 2021.

 (Photo: David Wallace/The Republic)

Supervisors from the four border counties, part of what is called the Arizona Border Counties Coalition, sent Ducey a letter expressing their opposition to sending in the National Guard.

They wrote in part:

“We are disappointed that you failed to consult with the various Boards of Supervisors of each border county on this matter. If asked, we would have requested assistance for transportation services specifically buses and drivers to provide those transportation services that we are now left to arrange on our own.

“Based on our experience, the Arizona National Guard is not needed for security or providing those tasks required of the federal government. We would ask you to reconsider this matter and provide immediate transportation services for asylum seekers that are released into the smaller communities of our border counties so that these individuals can be safely transported to transitional shelters operated largely by our faith based communities.”

Likewise, sheriffs from two of the border counties said the Guard wasn’t needed and declined Ducey’s offer of troops.

Sheriff David Hathaway of Santa Cruz County and Sheriff Chris Nanos of Pima County told the governor thanks, but no thanks.

Hathaway said, “We both responded saying, ‘We don’t have a migrant crisis on the border. We do not need to militarize our counties and have troops come to the border.’ ”

Ducey, others are fanning the flames

The sheriff wasn’t invited to tag along with Ducey during his photo op. Having him along, saying what he believed about the situation, would have created a crisis of credibility for the govern

Hathaway added, “We have certain, very vocal sheriffs in this state who are trying to fan the flames on a supposed crisis.”

The Santa Cruz County sheriff offered to speak with Ducey about the situation in his county and explain why he didn’t believe the Guard was needed, but said that his offer was declined.

That’s because we also have a certain, very vocal governor in this state who is trying to fan the flames on a supposed crisis.

Reach Montini at ed.montini@arizonarepublic.com.

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