PHOENIX — Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs is sending National Guard service members to the southern border. On Friday, the governor signed an executive order to mobilize troops at the state’s Lukeville Port of Entry, which has been closed since Dec. 4 following a surge in migrants.

What You Need To Know

  • Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs signed an executive order Friday to send National Guard service members to the southern border

  • The state's Lukeville Port of Entry has been closed since Dec. 4

  • U.S. Customs and Border Protection temporarily suspended operations at the Lukeville crossing due to a surge in migrants

  • Gov. Hobbs said Lukeville's closure had led to an unmitigated humanitarian crisis in the area

The troops are intended to “assist the Department of Public Safety and local law enforcement agencies with enforcement activities, including fentanyl interdiction, analytical support and human trafficking enforcement efforts,” the governor’s office said in a statement.

The service members will help respond to violations resulting from the closure of the Lukeville Port of entry, it said, such as increased migrant crossings.

Worried about a possible domino effect on other entry ports along the U.S. border with Mexico, Customs and Border Protection temporarily suspended operations at the Lukeville crossing so its personnel could help U.S. Border Patrol with taking migrants into custody.

In her executive order, Hobbs cited federal inaction in managing the State’s southern border and its decision to close the Lukeville Port of Entry as leading to “an unmitigated humanitarian crisis in the area and has put Arizona’s safety and commerce at risk.”

Besides Lukeville, the National Guard will we be stationed at the San Miguel crossing about 110 miles east.

The executive order said 243 of the 2,500 National Guard service members who are currently on federal active duty orders along the southern border are already in the Tucson area, near the Lukeville and San Miguel crossings.