Phoenix, AZ: As a result of federal cash that would likely go toward moving migrants out of border areas or providing them with healthcare while they are there, some leaders in Arizona are releasing a sigh of relief.
Government financing for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Shelter and Services Program was slated to expire, causing significant alarm about the possibility of daily mass migrant street releases.
This initiative will receive $650 million from the recently passed spending bill by President Joe Biden, according to Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly, who announced on Saturday.
Communities along Arizona’s border are bearing the brunt of a problem they had nothing to do with creating as partisans in Washington fail to protect the border. Sinema made a statement on her accomplishments, including the reduction of migrant street releases and the protection of Arizona families, and the acquisition of vital funds to assist border towns.
On Tuesday, Jan Lesher, the administrator of Pima County, confirmed the idea that it would prevent street discharges.
“Based on this federal action, discussions with staff at the Department of Homeland Security, CBP, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), we expect that in the coming weeks, we will receive formal notice of additional federal funds that will be directed to Pima County in support of our operation,” Lesher stated in a memo sent to the board of elected officials.
While the program’s specifics were still being ironed out, the senators and Governor Katie Hobbs had originally supported $752 million in financing. Hobbs was nonetheless pleased with the incoming funds, even though it was less than what was asked for.
For many Arizonans, the border remains a pressing concern. Regularly, the Tucson Sector encounters a significant volume of migrant and cartel activity, prompting border ranchers and law enforcement to request extra help.
According to data from CBP, the number of migrant interactions at the state’s border has recently exceeded that of Texas.