McCain disagrees with Ariz. Gov. Brewer’s comments on drug smuggling but commends her actions

McCain disagrees with AZ gov’s drug ‘mule’ comment

PHOENIX — U.S. Sen. John McCain says he disagrees with Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer’s statements that most people crossing the U.S. southern border illegally are smuggling drugs, but he thinks she is doing a good job of standing up for her state.

Brewer has said the motivation of “a lot” of the illegal immigrants is to enter the United States to look for work, but that drug rings press them into duty as drug “mules.” Her office later said most human smuggling into Arizona is under the direction of drug cartels, which “are by definition smuggling drugs.”

The Arizona Republican senator told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday that he thinks the governor is correct in saying that cartel movement has increased, and that the state deserves better security than what it’s getting from the federal government.