Wednesday, October 9, 2024

Arizona Governor Calls Immigrants ‘drug mules’

Even the top Republicans in her own state disagree with Gov. Jan Brewer’s comments that most undocumented workers are ‘drug mules.’

Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Senator John McCain says he does not believe that most workers crossing the border in Arizona are smuggling drugs.  He’s not the only official disputing the comments.

The claims made by Brewer are “clearly not the case,” according to T.J. Bonner of the National Border Patrol Council.  Bonner says there is little credibility to the statements and they “don’t comport with reality—that’s the nicest way to put it.”

Brewer is convinced that, “under the circumstances that we’re facing, that the majority of the illegal trespassers that are coming into the state of Arizona are under the direction and control of organized drug cartels and they are bringing drugs in.”

The numbers, however, don’t lie as Bonner points out that if what Brewer said were true, there would be many more prosecutions for drug smuggling.  “The majority of people continue to come across in search of work, not to smuggle drugs,” he said.

University of Arizona history professor, Oscar Martinez, conducts research on border issues and says there is no data to support the governor’s claims, which he calls “outrageous.”

“If she has no data and is just mouthing off for political reasons, as I believe she is doing, then she must apologize to the people of Arizona for lying to them so blatantly,” said Martinez.

The comments were made during a June 15 election debate among Republicans candidates running for governor.

CNN

AZ Central

Huffington Post

Comments

  1. Doug Simon says

    Just another example of how little facts have to do with Right-wing political posturing. But that won’t stop their “news” outlets from repeating it and repeating it. And Republicans like McCain will again attempt to block, as a block, any movement toward reform legislation. How do you say “Blockhead” in Spanish?