It's hard to watch non-border states wring their hands and declare a state of emergency, when they're suddenly faced with some of the same issues Arizona has been facing.

With Arizona and other border states bussing migrants into cities and counties that have never been touched by border issues before now, they're beginning to feel the same pinch with overwhelmed agencies and stretched taxpayer-supported resources. A state of affairs that is all too familiar in Arizona.

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Load cars often reach speeds of 130mph or more on our streets. Credit // Canva
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Every day we read stories of load car drivers blowing through the streets of Southeastern Arizona. Vehicles loaded with migrants, often driven by people recruited from out of town or even out of state, are creating dangerous conditions for our citizens and our children.

Load Car Drivers Endangering Lives

 

The Cochise County Sheriff's Office has been working with state and local agencies to reduce the impact of this threat on our streets. They report that young drivers are being lured by social media sites like Snapchat and Instagram to transport migrants in "load cars".

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Credit // Canva
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With cartels making promises of $1,000 to $8,000, teen drivers as young as 14-years-old have been snared by these sites.

If spotted, load car drivers have been instructed to try to outrun law enforcement. They often speed through our streets at 130 miles an hour or more, tearing through residential streets and highways, making conditions unsafe for everyone.

Load Car Driver vs. Motorcycle

It was only a matter of time before one of these high-speed vehicles caused serious injury. That day came yesterday when a load car collided with a motorcycle on Buffalo Soldier Trail, as folks made their way to work and school.

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Credit // Canva
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Sierra Vista Live on Facebook reported that after an SUV collided with the motorcycle on Buffalo Soldier Trail. The driver and six occupants were eventually captured after they fled into a surrounding residential neighborhood. Other Facebook posts reported the nearby school had been locked down for safety.

State of Emergency?

Arizona has been in a state of emergency since then-Governor Doug Ducey announced in April of 2021 he was deploying the Arizona National Guard to help handle the migrant influx.

We can see Mexico from our backyard in Cochise County. Credit // Val Davidson/TSM
We can see Mexico from our backyard in Cochise County. Credit // Val Davidson/TSM
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Katie Hobbs has continued Governor Ducey's plan to bus the influx of migrants out of state, but is this really enough to keep Arizonans safe?

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