Arizona GOP Gov. Doug Ducey will soon be leaving office, but he is making his mark by having stacks of shipping containers placed along his state's border with Mexico, The Associated Press reported Sunday.
The move was described by AP as "a bold show of border enforcement" by the outgoing governor. The containers, doubly stacked and topped with razor wire, are part of Ducey's efforts to highlight issues at the country's southern border. "Arizona is going to do the job that Joe Biden refuses to do — secure the border in any way we can," Ducey said.
However, environmental agencies have expressed concerns that the containers could halt the flow of natural water in the area and cause lasting damage. These concerns were echoed by the federal government, which has called the placement of the containers illegal and has ordered it to stop, despite Ducey's insistence that he has jurisdiction over the land.
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Ducey responded to the government's order by filing a lawsuit, alleging that he has the right as governor to take action. As the controversy heats up, even some conservative outlets have reported negatively on the issue, with Fox News reporting that Santa Cruz County Sheriff David Hathaway has expressed frustration at Ducey's agenda.
Ineligible to run for another term, Ducey will leave office in January. His replacement, Democratic Gov.-elect Katie Hobbs, said she was "looking at all the options" regarding the containers and hadn't decided on a course of action yet, AP reports.
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