Mohave Today

In a recent correspondence with President Biden, Rep. Leo Biasiucci (R-Ariz.) along with other Arizona House Republicans expressed their concerns regarding the current border control policies. The lawmakers criticized the Biden Administration's decision to close the Lukeville port of entry.

According to Rep. Biasiucci, "Looking at those crossing the border in droves, they are largely military-aged men, not families in search of a better life as Democrats continually claim". He further emphasized, "Your open-border approach to immigration is a national threat that will have disastrous impacts on the entire country."

Biasiucci and 31 other House Republicans co-authored this letter which included representatives such as Quang Nguyen (R-Ariz.), Alexander Kolodin (R-Ariz.), Joseph Chaplik (R-Ariz.), David Cook (R-Ariz.), Matt Gress (R-Ariz.), among others. In their letter, they highlighted several issues including a 40% increase in southwest border encounters since 2021, nearly 200 attempts by migrants on the terrorist watch list to cross, apprehension of Chinese nationals amid tensions between the United States and China, and the recent closure of the Lukeville Port of Entry.

The lawmakers wrote in their letter that "The decision to close the Lukeville Port of Entry as a solution to the crisis you created is unacceptable and must be reversed immediately." They continued saying that "It is no secret why the border is overwhelmed. Your anti-American open-border policy sent a message to the world: that there will be no consequences for illegal immigration. The real solution is simple. Reverse your policy and put a halt to the wide-open door for so-called 'asylum-seekers'."

Lukeville port, one of the busiest ports was closed at the beginning of December in an attempt to address a surge in illegal migrant crossings. However, there has been no official announcement on when it will reopen. This has led to dissatisfaction among Arizona lawmakers with the Biden Administration's decision. According to an article from the Associated Press, the closure is negatively impacting businesses and individuals as legal cross-border activities like shopping, dining, and school commutes for some Mexican children have been disrupted.

The lawmakers further stated in their letter that "Border states in particular are significantly harmed by your administration’s failed policies every day." They added that "Our law enforcement agencies at the border are overextended. Healthcare providers in border communities are overworked to such an extent that they are struggling to provide essential services to the residents of their community in need of care. Your decision to close the Lukeville Port of Entry is just the latest in a long stream of irresponsible policies from your administration that fail to keep Arizona citizens, and all Americans, safe from criminal activity at the border."

Rep. Biasiucci was re-elected in 2023 with 56.3% of votes, continuing his representation of District 30 while serving as the state House majority leader. He holds a degree in business administration and management and currently owns Mohave Traffic Survival School. Additionally, he works as an actor with SAG-AFTRA according to Ballotpedia.