Ohio leaders dealing with immigration issues visit border
Ed Tribble
Oct 12, 2007 06:35 PM PDT

This week some Ohio leaders paid a visit to the Cochise County sheriff, hoping to learn something about immigration.

They are seeing an increase in crime and a change in their own economy because of illegal immigrants from Mexico migrating to the Midwest.

The U.S. border near Naco might seem like a long way from Butler County, Ohio, but for Sheriff Richard Jones, border issues hit close to home.

"I have enough criminals of my own. I don't need someone to dump criminals on me that shouldn't be here," Jones says.

He says he's seeing large amounts of drugs coming in from the Tucson sector of the border, along with an increase in illegal immigrants in his county. He says they hurt the local economy.

"The influx is coming in and taking jobs away, and they're coming in and underbidding the people in our community for jobs," Jones says.

To get a better idea of where the problems are coming from, he and a local lawmaker are visiting Cochise County to see the immigration issue's front line.

"My intent is to go back to Columbus, Ohio and say 'I've been there, I know what it is. And until you see it, you don't have a clue,'" says Ohio State Rep. Courtney Combs

They say the vastness of the border surprised them more than they imagined. It's one of many preconceived notions shattered by visiting the border and talking to the people who live with its issues everyday.

"I need to be able to see this myself, that's why I'm here," Jones says.

The Cochise County sheriff says local leaders from other places are welcome to visit and see the problems on the border.

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