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Delays hit other ports of entry in Arizona as Lukeville remains closed

The Lukeville Port of Entry remains closed on both sides — impacting tourists and other travelers. Border communities in other parts of Arizona say it’s also impacting their crossings.

Lukeville is the main crossing point for travelers headed to Rocky Point, and it also serves Mexican travelers on their way up to Flagstaff and other destinations in Arizona.

Arizona border issues adviser Luis Ramirez says the closure is having ripple effects elsewhere as government resources shift around.

"We’re getting continual reports, Douglas, Nogales, San Luis, three, four hours for northbound traffic, and an hour, two hours for southbound traffic," he said. "So that means for somebody doing a round trip from Arizona and Sonora, they’re going to be spending 5-6 hours just to cross the border."

Ramirez says he and others have long called for a ramping up of resources at Arizona’s ports of entry. Earlier this month, he advised border community leaders on a a joint resolution asking the government to bring up port staffing and open up opportunities to locals to fill those roles, among other requests.

Alisa Reznick is a senior field correspondent covering stories across southern Arizona and the borderlands for the Tucson bureau of KJZZ's Fronteras Desk.