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Arizona Lays More Razor Wire at Border


The Yuma Border Patrol is adding over a mile of razor wire east of the San Luis Port of Entry in an effort to tighten security at the southern border and prevent unlawful crossings.

“For us, our primary focus is to prevent the illegal entry of people, contraband, drugs, from getting into the country,” Justin De La Torre, Yuma Border Patrol Chief, told Arizona Family.

Why It Matters

The Border Patrol is bolstering border security as part of a broader strategy to curb illegal crossings under President Donald Trump.

Immigration and mass deportations were a key component of Trump’s 2024 campaign. Americans largely support the president’s mass deportation plans but disagree about how policies should be carried out. A poll by The New York Times and Ipsos conducted from January 2 to 10 found that 55 percent of voters strongly or somewhat supported such plans. Eighty-eight percent supported “deporting immigrants who are here illegally and have criminal records.”

Razor Wire
Razor wire is seen near the Rio Grande at Shelby Park on February 3, 2024 in Eagle Pass, Texas.

SERGIO FLORES/AFP via Getty Images

What To Know

The area is located near a residential zone, which Border Patrol has said is frequently exploited by human smugglers due to its proximity to the border.

De La Torre said the wire was purchased during the first Trump administration, but shortly after Joe Biden took office, infrastructure projects were put on hold.

Border Patrol said it will deploy new technology such as dozens of surveillance cameras.

According to AZ Family, illegal border crossings in Yuma have reached a record low, with an average of only 12 apprehensions per day—compared to around 40 per day when Trump took office.

Yuma Mayor Douglas Nicholls backs improving border security measures and is hopeful about the federal assistance arriving at the border.

What People Are Saying

“When you look at the election cycle a lot of people protested through their vote and they made sure they elected a president that was focused on border security,” said Nicholls. “The federal government needs to be ready and make sure that they’re there to take care of the federal responsibilities and not rely upon local government, local nonprofits, and local citizens to take care of the issues that we pay our federal government to take care of for us.”

Justin De La Torre, Yuma Border Patrol Chief, said: “Smuggling organizations have the ability to make a quick entrance and blend into the population. It’s another layer, it helps slow down the flow once people do try to climb over, it slows them down and buys our agents time to respond,” said De La Torre.

“There was a hold on any additional infrastructure deployments, now we have the ability to do that and we’re starting to deploy some more infrastructure again.

“We do anticipate activating some of the technology that we previously had deployed which includes lighting and camera systems along the border in Yuma.

What Happens Next

The additional razor wire, technology upgrades, and other border security enhancements are part of a larger strategy to combat illegal immigration and trafficking in one of the most sensitive border areas in the country.

The success of these measures will be evaluated over time as the Trump administration looks to stem the flow of drugs entering the country.



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