‘Disgusting’ Razor Wire Must Go, Say U.S. Border City Residents

By Andrew Hay

When Sherrie Nixon spotted the six strands of razor wire stretched along the U.S.-Mexico border fence in her Arizona town, she felt overwhelmed with emotion.

"They’re turning our town into a military base. It feels like the front lines of a war zone," Nixon, 68, expressed during a recent Nogales City Council meeting. "Please take a stand and at least have them remove the razor wire. It’s a public nuisance and a lethal hazard."

Shortly thereafter, the council unanimously passed a resolution denouncing the use of concertina wire as an indiscriminate application of force typically reserved for battlefields and high-security facilities.

The council urged the federal government to eliminate the wire and refrain from employing military tactics within their community. Nogales, with a population exceeding 20,000, shares a border with the Mexican city of the same name.

"We will not tolerate this in Nogales," declared Mayor Arturo Garino, a Democrat, during the meeting, which was recorded and broadcast online. "We have children living just 10 feet away from it."

Garino affirmed that his city is quite safe and expressed concern that the presence of the wire might harm the community’s thriving economy. He also mentioned plans to pursue legal action regarding the issue.

The razor wire installation was carried out by some of the over 6,500 active-duty and National Guard troops stationed along the southern border.

Former President Donald Trump had indicated that troops were required due to the "lawless state" of the border and the "tremendous onslaught" caused by migrant caravans from Central America.

"Is Nogales being used as their concertina poster city?" the mayor questioned during the meeting.

U.S. military personnel have installed more than 70 miles (113 km) of wire along the 2,000-mile (3,219-km) border and plan to add an additional 160 miles (258 km), according to a Defense Department spokesperson.

The U.S. Border Patrol requested up to eight strands of wire in its Tucson sector to address "high-risk urban areas often exploited by criminal smuggling organizations." The agency indicated that the additional strands of wire have been effective in preventing individuals from climbing over the wall.

"Currently, there are no plans to remove the concertina wire," the agency stated.

Residents of Nogales, such as Victor Fontes, remain determined to fight for its removal. His two aunts, both in their 90s, live near the wall and urged him to voice their discontent to the council.

"In Spanish, we refer to it as ‘asquerosidad’ (filth)," said Fontes, 75.

"It’s just beyond disgusting," he added.