MEX, BORDER TRAP
American citizens say they’ve been trapped in Mexico by the closure of an Arizona border overwhelmed by migrants, and are considering crossing back into the US illegally themselves rather than making dangerous eight-hour round trips.
The border crossing at Lukeville has been closed since Dec. 4 after border patrol agents were diverted to dealing with thousands of migrants arriving illegally in the area, some of whom cut down parts of the border wall to flood into the US.
The closure means those on the Mexican side of the border must travel through ports of entry in Nogales to the east, or San Luis Rio Colorado to the west, turning a journey of 30 to 60 minutes into a six-to-eight-hour odyssey.
“There’s so many people that are so upset seeing all these 10,000 illegals coming in a day, and they’re coming through a wall that the cartel cut a hole in,” real-estate broker Robin Miller, who lives in the Gulf of California beach town of Rocky Point, Sonora, told The Post.
“And they’re just coming in, coming in. Yet us people with passports [who] are legal to go to the states, we can’t go.”
Cartel territory
Others pointed out the increased journey means navigating cartel-controlled territory and poorly maintained desert roads, which can be extremely dangerous.
“I’ve driven that route with my partner many times,” said restaurateur Cynthia Lowe, explaining the Nogales route takes her through the cartel-run city of Caborca. “But to do it alone as a single woman? It’s a little sketchy.”
Lowe said she has to work until Christmas Eve, but wants to see her children in Tucson for the holiday.
“I’m seriously contemplating walking through the hole in the wall and having my kids pick me up on the other side,” she said. “I have one of two choices. I can go through the wall, like everybody else is doing, or I can go through Nogales,” she added.
Lowe runs the Ole Mole restaurant in Rocky Point, which is about an hour south of the border. She says the town’s tourism-based economy has been completely destroyed by the Lukeville closure.
She’s lost at least 80% of her business, and had to lay off four employees “with tears in my eyes” within a week. She has since been waiting tables herself, when there are customers at all.
“Listen, when the strip clubs shut down, now that’s bad. All the t---y bars are closed,” said Lowe.
With no tourists to spend their money, the vacuum of cash has already begun to ripple throughout Rocky Point’s businesses in what Miller and Lowe both call a “trickle down effect.”
“You’ve got all these local people here dependent upon touristdriven businesses for their livelihood, and you cut that off, that’s going to affect other local businesses,” said Lowe.
Lowe reached out to Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs’ office for help, but said she was advised to call Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, who was no more unhelpful.
Hobbs asked President Biden on Friday to use the National Guard to reopen the Lukeville crossing, but so far, no actions have been taken.