Arizona: Migrants Prove Governor Doug Ducey Wrong as Containers Fail to Stop Them From Crossing the Border

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey said that by installing 130 double-stacked shipping containers, the state has taken a "major step forward" in securing its border. However, just hours before that announcement, hundreds of migrants have proven him wrong already, as they have found their way around the obstacle.

Ducey famously used containers to fill the gaps in former President Donald Trump's uncompleted border wall. However, this strategy does not seem to have worked either, as the migrants just simply avoided these barriers by going through some of the gaps between the wall and the containers.

Migrants Going Through Native American Land Where Border Wall Cannot be Built

Trump's border wall strategy had several limitations, as they cannot build through lands belonging to Native Americans. This is also a similar problem in Texas, as several land owners, including those who voted for Donald Trump, have opposed building the border wall on their land.

For Arizona, the migrants have crossed over through the 5-mile gap in the Cocopah Indian Reservation near Yuma, which has now become a major spot for illegal crossings, per Associated Press.

The Cocopah Indian tribe has strongly opposed having the border wall built in their lands, as it would restrict their access to the river, as well as restrict movement by tribal members also living in Mexico. However, the tribe has also had an agreement with the CBP regarding the installation of surveillance cameras and ground sensors in tribal lands. The tribe has stated that the "Cocopah supports efforts to secure the border and always has."

The Los Angeles Times reported that many of these migrants were likely dropped off by buses or hired vehicles from the Mexican side. They then walked through the reservation in the dark, mostly using their phones to guide them. However, border agents have been waiting for them outside tribal lands to take them into custody.

Governor Doug Ducey's Container Wall Ran Into Problems Before Being Completed

Ducey built a string of 44 double-stacked containers, but it ended abruptly in an open desert expanse. On the day that the Arizona governor declared the project complete, however, Border Patrol managed to encounter around 850 migrants entering the country illegally near Yuma, which meant that the containers were not enough to deter them.

According to Ducey, the installation of these containers only took 43 workers 11 days to complete. However, concerns about these container barriers' stability arose when two containers toppled.

According to ABC News, one theory as to why the containers toppled was because of strong monsoon winds. However, a spokesperson for the governor blamed those who opposed the barriers for toppling them, though could not present any evidence. The spokesman added that it was unlikely to be a weather event.

Ducey plans to install six other sites along the border, stating that the state is taking matters into its own hands because the federal government has not done anything.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Rick Martin

WATCH: U.S. border shipping containers topple over in Arizona - WFAA