Ducey Touring Southern Border With Homeland Secretary Nielsen

TUCSON, AZ – Gov. Ducey will host the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security on a tour of the border on Wednesday. Kirstjen Nielsen will join Ducey at the San Luis Port of Entry.

The two will take what the Department of Homeland Security says is "an operational tour of the Yuma Sector border wall system."

Ducey and Nielsen will also discuss the planned deployment of National Guard troops to the border.

Ducey announced last week that 338 National Guard troops are being sent to the border. (Get Tucson Patch's daily newsletter and real-time news alerts. Or, find your local Patch here and subscribe).

The deployment is part of a plan announced earlier this week by by Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.

"We are beginning today and we are moving quickly," she told reporters in the White House briefing room last week. "The threat is real."

Ducey had quickly signaled his support.

"Arizona welcomes the deployment of National Guard to the border," he said. "Washington has ignored this issue for too long and help is needed.

"Arizona, it's all about public safety."

Ducey is one of four governors whose states border Mexico.

Two others – the governors of New Mexico and Texas, both Republicans like Ducey and Trump – signaled their support.

Jerry Brown, the Democratic governor of California, has expressed his displeasure with the idea.

Nielsen was unclear exactly what troops will do at the border once they are beyond assisting Customs and Border Patrol agents.

In a related announcement from the White House, Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that the Defense Department will start building a border wall on property that they control.

Sanders said that military bases have been the site of illegal immigration over the border with Mexico.

Officials say that the plan is expected to start at the Barry Goldwater Air Force Range, a bombing range that borders Mexico for 31 miles.

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Photo of Ducey touring the border last year with then-Homeland Security Secretary John Kelly via Gov. Ducey's office.