The Port of Lukeville in southern Arizona reopened early Thursday. The thoroughfare, which is busy with travelers from both the north and the south, was closed early last month due to an increase in migrants and asylum seekers arriving nearby.

Lukeville serves thousands of Arizona tourists heading north to the Sonoran beach destination known as Rocky Point, as well as Sonoran tourists heading north.

Pima County Supervisor Adelita Grijalva welcomed the reopening, but said these issues will remain unless Washington, D.C. takes further action on immigration reform.

“There's going to be a lot of drag, and unfortunately counties like Lukeville and Pima are going to be the victims,” ​​she said.

Grijalva said the shutdown has separated families, including one Ajo resident who was unable to visit his 6-year-old son across the border in Sonoita, Sonora state.

The owner of a restaurant in Aho is forced to leave his chef, who is stuck across the border.

Alisa Resnick/KJZZ

The Port of Lukeville is a major thoroughfare for tourists heading to destinations on both sides of the border.

Meanwhile, local residents on both sides are feeling the economic impact. Chris Villarreal lives in Sonoita and commutes to a gas station about 30 miles down the road in Why, Arizona. He couldn't come for a month.

“In my opinion, the border should never have been closed, because this happens all the time, like people crossing the border. The border should have remained open.” he said.

The closure also affected business.

Hector Vázquez del Mercado is the director of Las Palomas Resort in Puerto Peñasco.

“Here in Peñasco, we estimate that the tourism sector lost about $14 million,” he said.

Vazquez del Mercado said many Arizona visitors have canceled reservations for January. Business leaders are now focused on reminding people that borders are open again.

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