AZ Border Sheriff: DHS Secretary Broke Promise to Communicate with Local Police

A group of 20 migrants cross the border near Bizbee, Arizona. Agents later arrest 3 smuggl
U.S. Border Patrol Video Screenshot/Tucson Sector

Mark Dannels, the Sheriff of Cochise County, Arizona, said on Wednesday that Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas is not keeping his promise to meet weekly with law enforcement who are dealing with a surge of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico Border.

One week after making the promise, no meeting had been set up, Dannels told Fox News, adding that whether Mayorkas will support him and others will be the “true test” of his willingness to deal with the crisis:

As previously reported by Fox News, Mayorkas met with sheriffs in El Paso, Texas, about the situation at the U.S. border last Thursday, during his third trip to the border since taking on his role in the administration. At the time, Dannels asked for weekly meetings with Mayorkas, which he told Fox News was agreed to.

“Currently we asked [to meet with the Secretary] for once a week, whether that’s through zoom, conference calling, in-person, or whatever needs to happen based on where we’re at today with the border,” Dannels said. “So that’s in the process of being set up and hopefully this will now turn into action for the good of the people.”

Dannels said everyone present agreed that the sheriffs need to work more closely with DHS to build on “shared missions.”

Fox News reports that the Biden Administration is facing lawsuits over its immigration and border policies, including over the president’s decision to reverse the Trump-era agreement with Mexico that individuals seeking refugee status remain in that country.

DHS and Health and Human Services (HHS) report that more than 21,000 Unaccompanied Alien Children (UAC) are in U.S. custody.

Follow Penny Starr on Twitter or send news tips to pstarr@breitbart.com

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