A resident of San Luis, Ariz. spoke on the main stage during last week's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
David Lara, who is running for Yuma County recorder, gave a speech on July 17, the third day of the RNC.
"We are the front line of the Biden border crisis," Lara said of San Luis. "Small towns like mine bear the brunt of the chaos."
(Video here: https://www.c-span.org/video/?c5124456/david-lara )
Lara described "crowds rushing the port, overwhelming Border Patrol."
KAWC's multiple visits to the border and reports from Border Patrol officials show that immigrants usually show up where the border fence ends and Cocopah tribal lands begin west of Somerton. Once there, they are typically met by Border Patrol agents and turn themselves in. If there is no agent present, migrants have been known to wait until they show up.
Lara also described "strangers terrorizing your homes and local schools fearful to let students walk home."
There have been no Border Patrol reports of migrants in neighborhoods or concern from local school leaders.
Lara said the San Luis Fire Department uses "off road vehicles to bring neighbors to the hospital because ambulances are taken by so-called asylum seekers."
San Luis Fire Chief Angel Ramirez previously told KAWC that the city has limited staff and ambulances. They do get called to assist with migrant health emergencies at the border. When that happens, Ramirez said, San Luis has a mutual aid agreement with the Somerton-Cocopah Fire Department, the city of Yuma and Yuma County first responders to take emergency calls.
Lara said "in San Luis, Mexican drug cartels use school children as mules, let that sink in."
It is unknown how common of a practice this is, as U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials do not typically report such incidents.
Lara said President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have not visited San Luis, but that former President Donald Trump has. Trump did visit a section of the border fence east of San Luis in June 2020 but did not stop in the city.
"We must re-elect President Trump to close the border... and stop drugs from pouring in," Lara concluded.
Gary Snyder, who is running for the Arizona House in Legislative District 25, which covers northeast Yuma County, also attended the RNC.
