Border checkpoint closed in Arizona: Americans in Mexico are thinking about crossing the border illegally

The US-Mexico border crossing at Lukeville, Arizona has been closed since December 4. Border Patrol (CBP) officers have been diverted to combating the thousands of migrants who have entered the area illegally. This influx occurred because some of them destroyed part of the border wall to get into the United States. The publication told in more detail New York.

Photo: IStock

The border closure means those on the Mexican side must travel through ports of entry at Nogales or San Luis Rio Colorado to the east or west, turning a 30-minute or hour-long trip into a six- to eight-hour odyssey.

“A lot of people are very upset to see 10 illegal immigrants a day coming through the cartel wall,” said real estate broker Robyn Miller, who lives in the beach town of Rocky Point. “And they just come and come and come.” But we, people with passports who legally travel to the States, cannot leave.”

On the subject: In one day, 12 migrants crossed the US border: this is the highest number in history

Other witnesses said traveling further would require crossing cartel-controlled territory and poorly maintained desert roads, which could be extremely dangerous.

“I've taken this route many times with my partner,” said restaurateur Cynthia Lowe, explaining that the route from Nogales passes through the cartel-controlled town of Caborca. “But doing it alone without a partner is dangerous.”

Lowe admitted that she will have to work until Christmas Eve, but she wants to see her children in Tucson for the holidays.

“I’m seriously thinking about walking through the hole in the wall and asking the kids to pick me up on the other side,” she said.

“I have one of two options: go through the wall like everyone else does, or go through Nogales,” Lowe said.

She runs the Ole Mole restaurant in Rocky Point, which is about an hour's drive from the border.

The restaurateur says the city's tourism-based economy has been completely destroyed by the border closure.

Lowe's has lost at least 80% of its business since the closure took effect on December 4 and was forced to "tearfully" lay off four staff within a week.

Since then, she has been serving tables herself whenever there are customers who need to take orders.

A day after the border closed, a record 12 migrants crossed in one day at Lukeville, on the southern U.S. border.

In October, 52 people presented themselves at border crossings and 000 were apprehended while attempting to cross the border illegally, according to CBP.

With no tourists to spend their money, the cash vacuum has already begun to take its toll on Rocky Point businesses.

“All local residents depend on tourism businesses, and if they are deprived of their livelihood, it will affect other local businesses,” Lowe explained.

“Let’s say you get your nails done by a local manicurist, but now you can’t get it done because you lost your job,” she said.

Footage and photos taken by Kristen Hanes, who runs the travel blog The Wayward Home and lives in Rocky Point during the winter months, show the town's usually busy beaches deserted and the streets empty.

Local residents complain that Mexican and U.S. leaders have left them without significant help to survive the shutdown.

Lowe turned to the office of Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs for help, but was advised to call Senator Kyrsten Sinema, who turned out to be equally negligent.

“They were very unfriendly. I heard a too cold, dry answer: we will pass on your problem; “Thank you for calling,” she relayed their words.

Governor Hobbs sent a letter to President Joe Biden on December 8 requesting the use of the National Guard to reopen the Lukeville port, but no action has been taken so far.

Local charities, residents and businesses stepped up to the plate, but their resources were stretched to the limit.

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One restaurant that used to give Christmas toys to its employees' children is now giving parents cash to help them survive.

The city's annual toy collection event has been postponed altogether.

Even the animals of Rocky Point are struggling.

Barb's Dog Rescue stores its dog food overseas in Arizona and depends on volunteer tourists to carry heavy bags to the rescue when they travel south.

Without tourists, rescuers ran out of food within a week of closing and were forced to spend $4000 to purchase another week's supply of food.

“I don’t understand what the idea is behind this,” Lowe said of the border closure. “Whoever did this was a real idiot.” He didn't think anything through at all."

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