City officials in the Arizona border town of Nogales are demanding the federal government remove unsightly razor wire that was recently added to the border wall separating the city from Nogales, Mexico.
On Wednesday, the City Council passed a resolution condemning the wire, saying it is "only found in a war, prison or battle setting" and has no place in the city, Nogales International reported.
Officials in Nogales, which already has a wall running through its downtown, threatened to sue the government if the wire is not removed.
Nogales Mayor Arturo Garino said the new razor wire, which the Army installed in residential areas, too, is dangerous and creates a bad image for the city, according to The Associated Press.
"Aesthetically pleasing — it's not. It's very bad. It's not good for business, it's not good for what we're trying to create, a business-friendly community here in Nogales," Garino told the AP.
U.S. Customs and Border Patrol said in a statement that the wire was added after a request "for additional support in high-risk urban areas commonly exploited by criminal smuggling organizations," the AP reported, but the spokesperson did not identify who made the request.
Nogales has a population of roughly 20,000, much smaller than its counterpart across the border, which it relies on for cross-border shopping and trade. The AP reported illegal crossings there have dropped significantly in recent years.
Garino asked U.S Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) last month to assist in having the wire removed, Nogales International reported. McSally has not publicly responded, yet.
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