Part of Arizona's temporary border wall fell earlier this week. State officials believe this was intentional.
Two shipping containers along the US-Mexico border fell over on Sunday evening. Governor Doug Ducey's office was made aware of the incident by Border Patrol around midnight and the container was returned to its original location around 6:30 am on Monday.
Initial reports were that a container 60 feet high and 22 feet long had collapsed due to high winds.
"There still seems to be unsubstantiated speculation that the wind knocked these things over," said CJ Karamargin, Ducey's communications director. told The Post. ``Very unlikely.''
``One of the overturned containers … was dented and had a hole in one of its sides, suggesting that some sort of equipment was used to move it. ,” Karamargin said. "Not in the wind."
Photos obtained by The Post show dents and holes in the metal container.
Karamargin previously told the Washington Examiner that Arizona is often exposed to high winds. but the container is heavy. 8,800 lbs.
"The idea that it was a weather-related event seems unlikely. These weigh 8,800 pounds," he told the outlet. “There were two of them together — 8,800 pounds is basically the weight of a Ford F-450.
Exactly how the container fell on its side remains unknown, as "no one ever saw it."
The two containers are part of Ducey's plan to bridge the gap along the border with Mexico. The state has seen record numbers of immigrant encounters in recent months.
"Arizona has had enough. We can't wait. The Biden administration's lack of urgency on border security is a dereliction of duty." said to have announced
“Over the past two years, Arizona has made every attempt to work with Washington to address the border crisis. The people of Arizona can't wait any longer for the federal government to deliver on its belated promises."
As of Thursday, Ducey's office said it had identified Work to close the other two nearby gaps is "almost complete," Karamargin said. He warned that not all areas along the border with Mexico are suitable for shipping container solutions as authorities are pushing forward with border wall projects.
"Remember that the primary responsibility for border security is the federal government. And they are -- they are closing these gaps these days." announced last month,'' he said, referring to a Homeland Security plan announced last month.
"They're focused on these gaps that are rocky or mountainous, and they're focused on them," Karamargin said.
"Regardless of where the gap is... wherever it is, it is being exploited by those who want to enter the United States or bring things like fentanyl illegally into the United States."
