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GOP Gubernatorial Candidate unveils border security policy

Matt Salmon Campaign for Governor
Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Matt Salmon

Republican gubernatorial candidate Matt Salmon on Friday revealed his plans for stopping the flow of drugs and undocumented immigrants over Arizona’s southern Border.

“Operation Copper Shield” combines multimillion dollar investments in county law enforcement and state prosecutors, with toughened state trespassing laws.

“We're going to get the state legislature to appropriate $200 million. $140 million of that will be for National Guard. We're going to put 1200 National Guard members, armed National Guard members on the border and first and foremost are going to be telling the folks who come across the border to go back where they came from.”

Salmon tells KAWC he feels an armed threat is necessary, even to deter families seeking asylum.

“I'd say a large percentage of them are claiming to be asylum seekers only a small percentage, small, small, small percentage are ever granted asylum, but yes,” he responded. “And encounter somebody that you know is truly an asylum seeker - then they work through that process, but the fact is that right now there's a lot of people coming across the border and a lot of drugs, fentanyl coming across the border. They're killing a lot of people in this country.”

Salmon also wants to see county sheriff's offices create anti-smuggling units to zero in on those bringing both drugs and people across the border and into Arizona.

Listen to our conversation with Salmon on border security using the audio link above.

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