Arizona governor installs more shipping containers to fill Mexican border gaps

The governor of Arizona announced on Twitter that the state has resumed placing shipping containers along the Mexican border in places where there are gaps between border walls. In a four-tweet thread, Gov. Doug Ducey, R-Ariz., described it as “our Border Barrier Mission.”

“The unresolved border and public safety crisis caused by the Biden administration continues – in Arizona, we don’t stand idly by when our citizens need us most,” Gov. Ducey tweeted. “Arizona isn’t afraid of a challenge. We will not back down. We will protect our state.”

Ducey’s announcement Monday came two weeks after federal officials told him to remove containers he had placed along the border in southwestern Arizona. That section of gap filler, located near the community of Yuma is made up of 100 shipping container. The new section, located in Cochise County in southeastern Arizona, is expected to require more than 2,700 containers.

Ducey sued in federal court on Friday, asking a court to allow the state to keep the Yuma containers up. The lawsuit also mentions U.S. Forest Service land where the new containers are being placed.

Placing shipping containers along the Mexican border is just the latest step taken by Republican governors in response to what they say is inaction from the Biden administration to record immigration through the southern border. Govs. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, and Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., have bused and flown migrants to Democrat-heavy areas.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.