Arizona opinion: Modernizing Nogales port is critical for regional economy

Some leaders talk about border communities from a distance. Congressman Juan Ciscomani has taken the time to understand ours by being here.

Before serving in Congress, Congressman Ciscomani was already working alongside the people who depend on the Nogales port every day, including small business owners, ranchers, retailers and logistics leaders. He did the same work we do, advocating for business owners at the chamber level, and learned firsthand that cross-border trade is not just policy. It is jobs, paychecks and economic stability for our region.

That is why his leadership in advancing the modernization of the Dennis DeConcini Port of Entry matters. For years, we have watched an aging facility hold back one of the country's busiest border crossings. The port handles millions of crossings each year and moves billions of dollars in goods, yet what exists today can no longer do the job. Congestion slows legal trade, puts pressure on officers and hurts our broader economy.

Congressman Ciscomani has not stood on the sidelines. He brought together Republicans and Democrats to push federal agencies to prioritize upgrading this port. Expanding DeConcini to 20 lanes would improve traffic flow, strengthen security, and better serve the millions of people and businesses that depend on it. That is the kind of practical action our community needs.

His support for Nogales goes beyond the port. He helped secure action on the long-standing wastewater crisis affecting our neighborhoods and quality of life, and he has delivered federal funding for roads, public buildings, veteran services and public safety across the region.

What stands out most is that Congressman Ciscomani understood these issues before he had the power to address them. He arrived already knowing what Nogales needed because he had spent years listening to the people who live and work here.

The Nogales-Santa Cruz County Chamber of Commerce supports efforts to move the modernization of the Dennis DeConcini Port of Entry forward without further delay. This project is about more than infrastructure. It is about economic competitiveness, national security, job creation and ensuring that Arizona remains a leader in international trade.

The question is no longer whether this project is needed. The need is clear.

The question is whether we are willing to make the investment required to support the future of our economy.

For the businesses that rely on this corridor, for the workers whose livelihoods depend on trade, and for the communities that benefit from a strong and secure border, the answer should be yes.

The time to act is now.