PHOENIX, Arizona (KYMA, KECY) – We learned about Governor Doug Ducey’s (R-Ariz) itinerary for his visit to Yuma on Wednesday.
Ducey announced plans to visit Tuesday afternoon after making an emergency statement. He also revealed plans to send the National Guard to the state’s southern border to support the continued rise in undocumented migrants and unaccompanied children.
View Governor Ducey’s Declaration of Emergency here
Governor Ducey made the announcement on social media:
NEW: The federal government will not act, but Arizona will. To tackle the crisis at the border, I made a declaration of emergency and am using the brave men and women of our @AZNationalGuard to aid law enforcement efforts and protect the Arizonans. pic.twitter.com/EdFkiM2C5t
– Doug Ducey (@dougducey) April 20, 2021
The governor announced that he would send up to 250 members of the Arizona National Guard to the state’s southern border to assist local law enforcement agencies. Ducey says he will spend up to $ 25 million to fund the initial stages of the operation.
The soldiers will:
- Assistance with medical operations in prisons
- Install and maintain border cameras
- Monitor and collect data from public safety cameras
- Analyze satellite imagery for current corridor smuggling trends
Video statement from Governor Ducey on the declaration of emergency:
Ducey also announced plans to visit Yuma County on Wednesday afternoon to meet with law enforcement and community leaders and learn about their field experiences.
The new adjutant general of the Arizona National Guard, Brigadier General Kerry Muehlenbeck, will join the governor on his border tour. Yuma County Sheriff Leon Wilmot and Yuma Mayor Douglas Nichols will meet with Ducey and a delegation of Republican lawmakers, including Reps Tim Dunn, Joanne Osborne, and Joel John, and Senator Sine Kerr, all representing Yuma County . Not a word on whether any of the county’s democratic leaders were invited to join the discussion.
Governor Ducey’s visit is not public, but News 11 and CBS 13 will be with him. KYMA.com’s live stream coverage of the border tour will begin on Wednesday afternoon.
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