Ducey to speak at White House event honoring ICE, border agents
Maria Polletta, Arizona Republic Published 3:51 p.m. MT Aug. 17, 2018 | Updated 4:26 p.m. MT Aug. 17, 2018
Gov. Doug Ducey on Monday will visit the White House to tout the work of his Border Strike Force at a function honoring immigration and border officials, his office said Friday.
The "Salute to the Heroes of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs (and) Border Protection" will examine border-security and community-safety issues, including the idea of a southwestern border wall, according to Ducey spokesman Daniel Ruiz.
Ducey was invited to discuss his multi-agency Strike Force, created to fight drug and human trafficking, during a panel exploring "the unique role that states play as it relates to border security," Ruiz said.
The White House "salute" comes as nearly 600 migrant children wait to be returned to their parents after being separated at the border under the Trump administration's "zero-tolerance" immigration policy.
The removal of more than 2,000 kids from their families has triggered widespread outrage among humanitarian groups, spurring some migrant-rights advocates to call for the abolishment of ICE.
Asked about the recent separations, Ruiz said the governor was not participating in Monday's event as "a statement on any position that has been taken by ICE or CBP."
"This is more an event to honor the men and women on the front lines who secure and protect our border," he said.
Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels, a vocal Strike Force supporter, will also attend the White House event, Ruiz said.
The Border Strike Force, established in 2015, has become a linchpin of Ducey's campaign for re-election this year. Though the Governor's Office has cited dramatic arrest and drug-seizure totals, the Department of Public Safety has not provided a more detailed breakdown of Strike Force operations.
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