Cochise County, Arizona, situated along the southern border with Mexico, has become a focal point in the national debate on immigration and border security. 

Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels, with over 40 years in law enforcement, provided a stark assessment of the current situation. 

"In my four decades of law enforcement, I've witnessed the evolution of this border,” Dannels told Federal Newswire. “What we're experiencing now is the worst I've ever seen in terms of violence, traffic, and the lack of a cooperative solution. It's the ugliest situation I've encountered."

In recent years, over 10 million illegal immigrants have entered the United States, with few places more impacted than Cochise County. 

Cochise County lies within the Tucson Sector and spans 84 miles along the border, situated in the southeast of Arizona where it meets southwestern New Mexico and northwestern Sonora, Mexico.

Dannels highlighted the significant impact of illegal immigration on his county, where over 44% of the jail population is currently border-related. 

"Many of those crossing the border are 100% controlled by criminal cartels, involved in activities such as trafficking fentanyl and smuggling humans," he said.

Describing the dangerous conditions faced by law enforcement, Dannels detailed instances of high-speed chases involving "cartel cars.” 

"We have smuggler drivers going 120 miles an hour, in the opposite lane of traffic, no headlights on at 9 o'clock at night and you got a seven year old stuffed in a trunk with two adults on top of them. That is endangerment," he said. 

Regarding the broader impact on the community, Dannels lamented the escalation of border-related crimes and the lack of federal response. 

"We've always had border crime, but to have it to the magnitude of which has become the new norm…when you see the aggression by the cartels, the boldness by the cartels, and the will of the cartels that we've never seen before," he said. 

Dannels criticized the Biden Administration for what he perceives as a failure to address the crisis effectively. 

"We've asked to meet with President Biden. I've sent letters. I've spoken to the White House. Our national leadership has tried to engage in dialogue, but we have none," he said.  

Dannels urged enhanced judicial oversight and an end to catch-and-release policies.

Expressing frustration with federal inaction, Dannels condemned the administration's handling of the border crisis.

"The federal government is wrong and they are sitting back doing nothing," he said. 

Dannels said that criminal cartels are the only beneficiaries of a porous border. 

Despite the continued struggles, President Biden recently noted “success” at the border in a July 11 press conference. 

“Our efforts to secure the border — our southern border is working.  After Trump killed the bipartisan efforts to secure the border Reb- — Republicans and Democrats had worked on, because he thought it would benefit me and make him a loser, Republicans walked away.  So, I took executive action last month,” Biden said. 

“As a consequence, working with Mexico, border encounters have gone down over 50 percent. The current level is lower today than when Trump left office.” 

Dannels sharply criticized the assertion. 

"That is an insult to watch. The impact we're seeing down into the tragedies of the tragedy in this country in just the fentanyl poisoning overdoses and you're making statements on that like it's like a victory lap," he said. 

Dannels highlighted the disconnect between political messaging and on-the-ground realities.

Looking forward, Dannels warned of the long-term consequences if border issues are left unaddressed. He emphasized the urgent need for policy changes to protect communities and uphold the rule of law and warned against inaction.

"You're going to see fractures in quality of life. You're going to see destruction in families, structures, and institutional values," he said. 

In the past Border Patrol has been forced to release more than illegal immigrants directly into Cochise County due to overcapacity at their facilities, prompting local officials to plead for federal assistance. 

Last October, 230 illegal immigrants were mass released onto the streets of Cochise County.

Earlier this year Dannels spoke out in an interview with KTAR-TV on the increase in border crossing noting illegal border crossings were alarmingly high and contradicting reports from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). 

In January 2024 he highlighted the ongoing crisis, noting that in a matter of weeks Cochise County had seized over 220 pounds of fentanyl, underscoring the continued threat posed by unchecked migration. 

Arizona has been labeled the “fentanyl capital of the U.S.” 

In a January briefing to Arizona legislators, Cochise County Sheriff’s Office Commander Robert Watkins said over half of the fentanyl seized across the country in 2022 was intercepted in Arizona.