WASHINGTON— Today, Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva sent a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen and Department of Defense Acting Secretary Patrick Shanahan demanding an immediate end to the use of dangerous concertina wire along the border barrier in downtown Nogales, Arizona. This comes on the heels of President Trump’s divisive State of the Union address containing inflammatory language about border communities, and just before controversial former Trump Advisor Steve Bannon—who has well-documented ties to the white nationalist movement—arrives in Southern Arizona for a “Build The Wall” event. The letter read in part:

“One thing is clear: this is simply a manufactured a crisis at the border. Border communities remain some of the safest cities in the country, and the vast majority of those presenting themselves at our ports of entry are families seeking asylum after fleeing unimaginable violence in their home countries, the United States has legal obligations to asylum-seekers.

“The Nogales City Council recently passed a resolution condemning the use of the concertina wire at the border, and I support them in these efforts. Border communities are already some of the most militarized communities in the United States. Forcing them to act as a photo opportunity to reinforce the false narrative of rampant lawlessness at the border promulgated by the President is nothing short of ridiculous. I urge you to take the safety and concerns of Nogales residents into consideration and remove this needless wire.”

Read the full letter here.

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