Kyle & McCain - Gov't is failing border residents

Many communities in the country deal with effects of illegal immigration, but none like those near the border in Arizona. There, American citizens no longer feel safe in their homes and worry about the security of their property – indeed, the failure to secure the border is altering their way of life. One of the government’s most basic duties is to ensure the security of its citizens. For many Arizonans, the government is failing miserably in that regard. They are angry, and rightfully so. We recently saw that anger and frustration firsthand when we visited Douglas and ranch country, in the southeast corner of the state. We toured with the Border Patrol, met with local ranchers and their families, and heard many concerns from local residents during a town hall meeting. The residents – including some families who have called the area home for four or five generations – told us to go back to Washington and tell our colleagues about what they have to live with every day and what they need from their government. Ranchers and residents told us that they are suffering and are tired of living with the effects of illegal immigration. The ranches on which many of them live used to be safe, but today they must carry weapons when they leave home. Some travel in pairs. The tragic murder of Robert Krentz proves that the danger is real, and that Arizonans lives are at risk. Southeast Arizona residents are also tired of seeing the drug and human smugglers destroy the environment. Paths through the desert – now off-limits to Americans since human and drug smugglers have taken control of them – are littered with garbage. The effects of the unsecured border on the environment and local residents are quite simply devastating...more