Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs asks for $752M from the feds to pay for migrant shelters, services
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs is asking the federal government to pay for migrant shelters and services.
In a letter sent to the Senate and House Appropriations Committees on March 13, Hobbs is asking for no less than $752 million from the Homeland Security Appropriations bill.
Hobbs says without this funding, local governments and organizations may no longer be able to provide services, putting the public and migrants at risk.
Leaders in Yuma and Cochise counties say they've been working closely with Hobbs to secure this funding.
"I hope that Washington just listens to what we here on the border need. Sometimes we're forgotten. You hear about San Diego, you hear about Tucson, you hear about Eagle Pass, but they forget about that here in Yuma. We face this every day," Yuma Police Chief Thomas Garrity said.
In Yuma, nonprofits like the Regional Center for Border Health have played a big part in processing migrants.
"I had a meeting with Secretary Mayorkas and we talked about the exact same thing as we're coming up on March 22. With the beginning of the end of federal funding without a continuing resolution or approved budget, it could cause dramatic issues with our nonprofits," said Yuma Mayor Douglas Nicholls.
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"For us and the border patrol to be able to process the people coming through there in a timely manner, these funds would help greatly," Garrity said.
Mayor Nicholls says border crossings are low compared to the last three years. However, the numbers are still 10 to 20 times higher than what they consider normal.
Over in Cochise County, Ann English, who is on Board of Supervisors, says migrants are being bussed in and dropped off.
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"That's the problem that we're trying to solve, is to find ways to keep the border patrol from bringing people here and then dropping them off because the money is drying up in Pima County and they have been our saviors on this," English said.
These city and county leaders say this funding is crucial for the upcoming fiscal year.
"We really expect Governor Hobbs to be the advocate because we have very little standing with the federal government," English said.
In Hobbs' letter, she also urged lawmakers to reconsider the bipartisan Senate border bill blocked by Senate Republicans.
Hobbs says it would provide money to install machines to scan for drugs that are currently sitting unused in Nogales.