Border safety, trade are high on agenda for Republican governors

SCOTTSDALE – The Republican Governors Association held its annual convention in Scottsdale where governors collaborate and discuss their plan for their state.


Border tear gas incident renews wall debate, but little change expected

WASHINGTON - Arizona Republicans backed President Donald Trump's renewed demands for border wall funding after migrants were tear gassed as they tried to rush the border near Tijuana, but experts don't think Congress will OK funding in its remaining few weeks, or shutdown government over the issue.


Border clashes in Tijuana have immigration advocates mobilized

PHOENIX – Asylum seekers face difficulties at the Mexican-American border with tear gas and border closures in Tijuana, but pro-immigrant groups want to help.


Vaquita’s last stand: Saving the porpoise may depend on creating a legal market for totoaba

SAN FELIPE, Baja California – A plan to capture and breed the endangered vaquita marina in a giant ocean aquarium failed, but out of that came a new plan: use the aquarium to breed totoaba, the fish targeted by poachers. Conservationists hope by creating a legal market for totoaba, vaquita no longer will be killed by poachers’ gillnets.


Vaquita’s last stand: Fishermen want to help but need to feed their families, too

SAN FELIPE, Baja California – In the Upper Gulf of California, many people fish to survive. And while some fishermen support efforts to save the vaquita, others feel that their own survival and way of life is being destroyed. Part 2 of the series delves into the experiences of local fishermen and their complex relationship with the vaquita.


Vaquita’s last stand: The struggle to save the world’s rarest marine animal

SAN FELIPE, Baja California – The vaquita porpoise is a victim of the Sinaloa drug cartel who fish for a species in the same waters and sell on the Chinese black market. Part 1 of this series examines the dangers the totoaba trade presents to the vaquita and the efforts to fight back against illegal fishing.


Refugees and disaster victims offered free housing in Arizona through Airbnb

PHOENIX – Airbnb has created the Open Homes program that allows hosts to open their homes to refugees at no cost. Through this program, refugees are given the chance to connect with their community and get their feet back on the ground.


Mexican ambassador expresses confidence new trade deal will get done

WASHINGTON - The Mexican ambassador to the U.S. said he is confident final details can be worked out a new trade deal between the two countries and Canada, despite President Donald Trump's "colorful," sometimes disruptive rhetoric on border security as negotiations have progressed in recent months,


White House vows to fight ‘absurd’ ruling against asylum restrictions

WASHINGTON - The White House vowed to fight a federal judge's ruling that temporarily blocked restrictions on asylum seekers, who administration officials said threaten to "incapacitate our already overwhelmed immigration system."


Foreign-born doctors are vital to Arizona’s rural communities

SHOW LOW – To fulfill their program requirement, foreign physicians are choosing to work in underserved areas, aiding many communities and people in need of medical services while these areas struggle to find more primary care physicians.


Advocates urge troop withdrawal; DHS repeats need to ‘harden’ border

WASHINGTON - Advocates urged the White House to bring active-duty troops home from the border for Thanksgiving and end what they called a "needless," politically motivated deployment, as Department of Homeland Security officials reiterated the need for troops to help "harden" ports of entry.


Advocates push back against border wall funds, citing other U.S. needs

WASHINGTON - One day after lawmakers met with the president to discuss border wall funding, advocates fanned out across Capitol Hill to tell members of Congress, current and incoming, that billions of dollars targeted for a border wall could be better used for needs inside the country.