The Arizona Chamber of Commerce is calling on the Biden Administration and Congress to find a way to reopen the Lukeville Port of Entry.

The federal government closed the Lukeville port earlier this month, so Border Patrol agents working the facility could be reassigned to process a surge of migrants that has overwhelmed agents in the area.

Echoing comments made earlier this month by Governor Katie Hobbs, the Chamber’s Garrick Taylor said the closure is not the right response to the migrant surge.

“One thing’s for sure and that’s that closures of ports of entry that cut us off from legitimate trade and travel are not the answer,” Taylor said. “And we’ve seen in a busy travel season around the holidays just how disruptive these closures can be.” 

Taylor said Mexican tourists spend an average of $7 million a day in Arizona, with much of that coming during the holiday season. While a lot of that spending happens in towns like Nogales where ports are still open, officials have said the Lukeville closure is having a ripple effect, causing delays at other open ports of entry.

Businesses in Rocky Point are also being hurt by the closure due to the dwindling number of American tourists visiting the city.

Taylor says that could exacerbate the migration issue as more Mexican residents come to the U.S. in search of work.

Taylor also said the closure in Lukeville is hurting Arizonans who own condos in Rocky Point.

“There’s a lot of empty condos in Rocky Point right now, because travelers simply can’t get there,” he said. “On top of the port closure, you’ve now got the State Department urging against travel in that part of Sonora. It’s just a real mess and a real shame.”