AZ Sheriff: ‘We Do Have a Crisis’ on the Border

On Monday’s broadcast of Fox News Channel’s “Your World,” Cochise County, AZ Sheriff Mark Dannels (R) stated that there is a crisis on the southern border and said it makes no sense to have guidelines designed to prevent coronavirus spread while “you’re opening up the southern border.”

Dannels said, “[I]t’s upsetting to hear that — the secretary saying there is no crisis on our border. I can assure you, speaking to my communities here in Cochise County, speaking to my fellow sheriffs, that that is not the case.”

He added, “Well, as sheriffs, we’ve met with the Department of Homeland Security senior team a couple of times. It’s not been — we have not discussed questions and answers. It’s been, here’s what we’re doing. I made a suggestion that we have to have our local health departments, your sheriffs, your state officials, your governor’s office staff. We need to be at the table talking about what’s going on on the southern border. That’s not happening right now. That gets frustrating. We have an upcoming meeting. We hope we can get some questions. But we’re past due on questions and answer time. Second to that, I will say this, is, sheriffs think of public safety, national security, and humanitarian. Now, we’re adding COVID onto that. We were told that they’re not tested for COVID. They do a medical screening, which is not COVID testing. These people are being released. You look at, Charles, 26 countries have got a travel ban, all the stuff going on, all the CDC guidelines…make sure we’re wearing masks, social distancing, but you’re opening up the southern border. We do have a crisis on this border.”

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