Grijalva may appeal to White House for border crossing expansion

SOMERTON — U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva says he may appeal directly to the White House for funds to expand and modernize the U.S. Port of Entry at San Luis, Ariz., since he can't get Republican backing to fund the upgrades.

In a visit Friday to Somerton and San Luis, Ariz., Grijalva said he has gotten no support from Republican lawmakers for legislation he introduced in October, the Border Infrastructure and Jobs Act of 2011, which would earmark $80 million for upgrades and additional personnel at the San Luis port of entry.

“Unfortunately not one Republican congressman has responded, even though we have told them that if there's some change to the proposal (that they want), we will be happy to do it,” said the Tucson Democrat, whose district includes Yuma County.

Grijalva's bill would earmark nearly $830 million for building and security improvements at U.S. ports of entry along the border with Mexico, for additional Customs and Border Protection officers at the ports and for stimulating small businesses on the border.

San Luis officials have long appealed to the federal government to expand the port to alleviate long vehicle lines at the border that they say cause congestion and discourage Mexican shoppers from frequenting stores in San Luis.

Grijalva said his bill “has had a hearing in one of the committees” but is otherwise stuck in Congress.

His other option, he said, is to ask the Obama administration to include funding for the border improvements in the White House's proposed budget for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1.

“The presidential campaign has attracted lots of interest in Arizona,” said Grijalva. “The administration is going to want a high profile in Arizona, and one of the ways to do that is to do significant projects on the border.”

Grijalva said he would not necessarily ask the White House for the entire $830 million sought in his legislation, but rather a fraction of that in order to make border upgrades in phases.

Grijalva sought to disassociate his legislation from immigration, an issue he expects to be a hot topic in an election year. “Our proposal has nothing to do with immigration; it's about commerce and border security.”

He still has hopes of getting support for his bill among Republicans who favor investing in the border security, and he said he will start by seek the backing of GOP lawmakers from his own state.

He's also seeking the support from such organizations such as the National Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the National Association of Exporters.

“We are going to join with those groups in Washington in a campaign on their part to begin to apply pressure.”