AUDIO: Cochise County Sheriff: Border-related crimes are at an all-time high

by Julia Thompson
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  • Runtime: 4:26
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THIS IS YOUR CRONKITE NEWS 2GO BRIEFING.

I’M ALEXANDRA MORA MEDINA

As border-related crimes increase, officials and experts seek solutions to reduce trafficking
SUMMARY: Affairs at the American-Mexican border are in a bad state according to Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels. Congresspeople and human trafficking experts also weighed in at a House hearing Wednesday on what they feel should be done.

BORDER-RELATED CRIMES ARE AT AN “ALL TIME HIGH.” THAT’S ACCORDING TO COCHISE COUNTY SHERIFF, MARK DANNELS, WHO TESTIFIED AT A HOUSE COMMITTEE WEDNESDAY. HE SAYS THE PROBLEM WILL ONLY GET WORSE IF IMMIGRATION REFORM GOES UNADDRESSED.

THIS COMES AFTER THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION HAS CONSIDERED LIFTING TITLE 42. THIS PANDEMIC-ERA POLICY HAS ALLOWED BORDER PATROL AGENTS TO TURN AWAY ONE-POINT-EIGHT MILLION ASYLUM SEEKERS SINCE MARCH 20-20.

REPUBLICANS AT THE HEARING CRITICIZED THE ADMINISTRATION’S FAILURES TO ADDRESS BORDER-RELATED CRIMES.

DEMOCRATS AND TRAFFICKING EXPERTS ADVOCATED MORE ANTI-TRAFFICKING BILLS.

HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS SAYS THAT THE CURRENT SYSTEM IS ALREADY UNDER STRAIN.

ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS: With the Title 42 public health order set to be lifted, we expect migration levels to increase as smugglers seek to take advantage of and profit from vulnerable migrants.

STACEY SUTHERLAND OF THE ARIZONA ANTI-TRAFFICKING NETWORK SAYS INCREASED BORDER TRAFFIC COULD LEAD TO INCREASED TRAFFICKING, AND IT’S IMPORTANT TO KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TRAFFICKING AND HUMAN SMUGGLING. HUMAN TRAFFICKING REQUIRES COERCION, BUT SMUGGLING DOES NOT.

DANNELS SAYS MORE THAN EXISTING SCREENINGS TO IDENTIFY TRAFFICKING VICTIMS ARE NEEDED. “THIS IS NOT ABOUT POLITICS,” HE SAYS, “IT’S ABOUT PEOPLE.”

Arizona Clean Elections poll shows jobs, economy are important voter topics
SUMMARY: The Citizens Clean Elections Commission polled Arizona voters to find out what topics are important to them

WITH PRIMARY ELECTIONS COMING UP FAST, THE ARIZONA CITIZENS CLEAN ELECTIONS COMMISSION POLLED VOTERS TO FIND OUT WHAT TOPICS ARE IMPORTANT TO THEM.
80 PERCENT OF VOTERS WANT TO HEAR CANDIDATES SPEAK ABOUT JOBS AND THE ECONOMY. OTHER IMPORTANT TOPICS TO VOTERS INCLUDE HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION AND IMMIGRATION.

THE POLL ALSO BREAKS DOWN REGIONAL DIFFERENCES. THE WEST RURAL AREA OF ARIZONA WANTS TO HEAR MORE ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAN THE AVERAGE VOTER. SOUTH PHOENIX AND TEMPE VOTERS WANT TO HEAR MORE ABOUT GUN POLICIES AND ABORTION.

TOM COLLINS IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE ARIZONA CITIZENS CLEAN ELECTIONS COMMISSION. HE SAYS THESE POLLS HELP CREATE A BETTER CANDIDATE DISCUSSION.

EARLY VOTING FOR THE PRIMARY ELECTIONS START JULY SIXTH. IF YOU WANT TO HEAR WHAT CANDIDATES HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THESE ISSUES, YOU CAN WATCH ARIZONA P-B-S TO HEAR WEEKLY DEBATES HOSTED BY THE CITIZENS CLEAN ELECTIONS COMMISSION.

A new report shows Arizona is the top 10 for tech job gains
SUMMARY: Tech jobs in Arizona are booming according to a report and tech businesses are preparing the community for it.

ARIZONA’S TECH ECONOMY IS GROWING FAST AND SO IS THE DEMAND FOR TECH JOBS. A RECENT REPORT BY THE COMPUTING TECHNOLOGY INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION LISTED PHOENIX IN THE TOP TEN FOR TECH JOB GAINS IN 20-21. MORE THAN ONE THOUSAND POSITIONS WERE ADDED LAST YEAR.

STEVEN ZYLSTRA (Z-eye-ill-stra) IS THE PRESIDENT AND C-E-O OF ARIZONA TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL. HE SAYS THAT ARIZONA IS BECOMING ONE OF THE MAJOR CENTERS FOR TECHNOLOGY AND MANUFACTURING IN THE COUNTRY. HE SAYS THAT LOWER TAX RATES, CHEAPER COST OF LIVING COMPARED TO OTHER TECH HUB CITIES AND THE WEATHER FACTOR INTO THE SHIFT.

NFL Draft could feature a lot of Sun Devils
SUMMARY: The NFL draft begins Thursday and ASU could have the most players taken in a single draft since 2008.

THE NFL DRAFT IS BEING HELD IN LAS VEGAS THURSDAY THROUGH SATURDAY, AND THERE MIGHT BE A FEW ARIZONA PLAYERS IN THE LINEUP.

THE ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY SUN DEVILS COULD SEE A FEW OF THEIR FORMER PLAYERS GET THEIR NAMES CALLED AS FIVE TO SEVEN PLAYERS ARE EXPECTED TO BE PICKED UP BY N-F-L TEAMS. LINEBACKER DARIEN BUTLER AND NOSE TACKLE D-J DAVIDSON ARE AMONG THOSE WHO WILL BE WAITING TO HEAR THEIR NAME.

THIS WOULD MARK THE FIRST TIME SINCE TWO-THOUSAND-EIGHT THAT A-S-U WOULD HAVE AT LEAST FIVE PLAYERS HEAR THEIR NAME CALLED AT THE DRAFT AND THE NINTH YEAR IN A ROW WITH AT LEAST ONE PLAYER SELECTED.

THIS IS GOOD NEWS FOR A-S-U FOOTBALL COACH HERM EDWARDS WHO HAS WORKED TO REVITALIZE WHAT SEEMED TO BE A FLICKERING FOOTBALL PROGRAM IN YEARS PAST.

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WE HAD HELP TODAY FROM EMMA VANDENEINDE, JUSTIN TORRES, EMILY SACIA [SAY-cha] AND MOLLY HUDSON. OUR SHOW WAS PRODUCED BY KIRSTEN DORMAN.

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YOU CAN LEARN MORE ABOUT THE STORIES YOU HEARD IN TODAY’S NEWS UPDATE, BY GOING TO CRONKITENEWS-DOT-AZPBS-DOT-ORG.

THAT’S ALL FOR YOUR CRONKITE NEWS 2 GO. I’M ALEXANDRA MORA MEDINA.