Rep. John Curtis traveled to Arizona for a tour of the southern border Thursday. Although this marks his third visit, he said the day was “incredibly enlightening.”
“I’ve learned more on this trip than the others, and have had my eyes open up to exactly what’s going on a whole lot more than I have in the past,” he told the Deseret News by phone.
When asked for more details, he said, “I think among many things is the influence of the cartels. I think it’s very, very clear that while we don’t have control of our border, they do.”
Curtis, a Republican who represents Utah’s 3rd District, said the cartels decide which migrants enter the U.S. They exert influence on the timing of the crossings as well as the routes used.
Related
- Standoff at Eagle Pass
- Utah Gov. Spencer Cox joins 14 other governors in Texas vowing to protect the border
Curtis also attended a field hearing on Thursday at Sierra Vista to examine the environmental impacts of the border crisis. The Utah representative said, painting a vivid picture: