Arizona rancher warns of 'terrorists' coming through the 'Ellis Island' of cartel smuggling

A fifth-generation Arizona rancher echoed his Democratic governor's call for action on the Mexican border, telling Fox News he suspects the rampant illegal crossings and smuggling through his borderland ranch are the product of cartel-orchestrated "diversions" that draw federal authorities' attention.

Jim Chilton, who owns a large swath of land on the border near Arivaca, Ariz., said he has not seen a border agent on his property in three months, contrasting that with the daily deluges of illegal migrants at points of entry and elsewhere that agents must instead attend to.

He said it is clear the cartels control all smuggling and pedestrian traffic on both the American and Mexican sides of the border, as the White House continues to refuse to enforce or strengthen immigration laws.

"Our border is five and a half miles, but it's even more critical and dangerous than that. It is a possible terrorist operation," he told "America Reports."

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Dec. 4, 2023: Migrants are seen camped out near Lukeville, Arizona. (Fox News)

"People coming to our ranch are in camouflage and carpet shoes, and they're coming through not to be seen. There are gotaways. How many are terrorists? The Border Patrol tells us that about 20% are packing drugs to poison our people."

Arizona Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs, who defeated Republican former Phoenix Fox affiliate journalist Kari Lake in a high-profile contest, sent a scathing letter to President Biden calling for reimbursement of more than $512 million for "federal border inaction" and denouncing his "failure to secure the Arizona border.

On Tuesday, Chilton said massive federal border patrol operations in Lukeville, Ariz., and the state of Texas "result in a diversion – a decoy."

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"How many people are coming through in these huge gaps that are not secured?" he asked anchor Bill Hemmer, who cited his own firsthand experience on the other side of the state in Yuma, saying border cameras there are installed but have not been turned on.

Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., on Monday posted photos of the crisis at Lukeville on X, saying he was the only lawmaker present that day to witness the deluge in the border town near the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument park.

On Fox News, Chilton called on the feds to finish the border wall and deploy the U.S. military to the border to repel potential terrorists, and the omnipresent drug smugglers.

He added that a century ago, the bistate compound on Ellis Island in New York Harbor was where most of American immigration occurred, but that it now appears the border is where the deluge occurs, albeit often illicitly.

"People should come into the United States legally. Ellis Island used to be the spot where people came through and everything was legal. We need to follow the law," he said.

Unlike at the southern border, seafaring immigrants to Ellis Island were subjected to stringent health screenings, documentation checks and more before they were able to land in New Jersey or New York, as many were turned away from the U.S.

Fox News' Stepheny Price contributed to this report.

Charles Creitz is a reporter for Fox News Digital. 

He joined Fox News in 2013 as a writer and production assistant. 

Charles covers media, politics and culture for Fox News Digital.

Charles is a Pennsylvania native and graduated from Temple University with a B.A. in Broadcast Journalism. Story tips can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..