NOGALES, Ariz. (KGUN9-TV) - Immigration and border security are in the spotlight for the 2016 presidential candidates.
Congressman Raul Grijalva points out that securing the Arizona border is not as easy as hiring more agents or building more wall.
Grijalva believes the candidates should focus on changing legislation.
"The security breaches right now around organized crime on both sides of the border. Those taking guns to that side and those bringing drugs and people to this side, I think part of the mission has to happen in homeland security to focus on where the greatest threat is and that is with organized crime and their abilities, regardless of what laws and walls are passed."
"Arizona can be very proactive and providing some real common sense ideas and solutions, not just about security, but how to handle the internal immigration issue that we have before us. But as long as we continue to pander and feel that fear is the way to go in terms of getting elected, this issue won't be solved."
Grijalva also says there are 20,000 agents on the Southern border, as well as $19,000,000,000 spent and the highest rate of deportation and detentions in for-profit prisons.
He would like to see a dialogue started so we are not repeating the same conversations years from now.
FULL INTERVIEW WITH CONGRESSMAN GRIJALVA:
