NOGALES, Ariz. — Lawmakers are working on a compromise border funding bill. The Republican led senate has passed the bill and it's expected to pass in the Democratic controlled house Thursday night.
As the bill heads to the Presidents desk, southern Arizona leaders have been reacting to the news.
"As you can see the wall does not work, because if it did they would not put concertina wire on it," said Nogales Mayor Arturo Garino.
For Garino, Thursdays announcement out of Washington D.C. was a surprising one. He feels, the news will only continue to hurt business relations across the border.
The way I look at it you’re declaring a state of emergency against Mexico and the best trading partner you have," Arturo explains. He adds, "We trade in the billions of dollars through the port of Nogales let alone Texas and California."
Along Santa Cruz County’s border a fence can already be seen for miles. While Sheriff Tony Estrada doesn’t believe the President would send any more resources to build a new wall in Nogales he feels the President could have more sympathy in dealing with people migrating to the US for a better life.
"Livestock is treated better, they are human beings that are trying to come across," said Estrada. He adds, "You’re treating them less than human beings and I think what the President needs to is to have a little bit of empathy and a little bit of compassion."
Pima County sheriff Mark Napier says there are humanitarian and safety issues that need to be the focus of conservation. Because of that he adds he would support sections of the southern border getting a wall.
"There's clearly a public safety issues. We don’t know who’s coming across our border, our borders are not secure," explained Napier.
