Arizona has been allocated more than $47 million in federal taxpayer dollars to support migrant service programs, while still struggling with migrant transportation requests to other parts of the country. A Customs and Border Patrol News Release stated fewer migrants are being transported than before, but claim funds are crucial in ensuring that essential services continue.
This financial boost is part of a broader $380 million supplemental allocation for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) under the Shelter and Services program, reports Just the News.
The program provides resources for food, shelter, clothing, acute medical care, and transportation for non-citizens awaiting their immigration court dates within the United States.
Arizona’s Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs emphasized the importance of the funding during a media availability late last week. She noted that migrant transportation to their desired destinations remains a key strategy in managing the ongoing situation at the border.
“When it comes to community safety … avoiding unsheltered street releases of migrants is a critical, critical piece of that,” Hobbs said. She added that Arizona has so far been successful in preventing street releases and intends to continue using the funds to ensure that migrants are processed and transported to their destinations, which often lie outside of Arizona.
Hobbs also warned that a “complete shutdown” of services in Pima County was possible without this new round of funding. However, the funding has sparked severe controversy.
On Wednesday, Governor Hobbs faced criticism on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) for referring to the funding as “border security.” Arizona State Representative Theresa Martinez, a Republican, challenged this characterization, posting, “Immigrant housing does NOT equal border security.”
Despite the debate, the funds have already been earmarked for various recipients in Arizona. According to a news release from Democratic Rep. Ruben Gallego’s office, the allocations include $19.2 million for the state government, $18.7 million for Pima County, $7.5 million for the Regional Center for Border Health in Yuma County, and $1.8 million for the Borderlands Resource Initiative.
While Arizona continues to manage its migrant situation, neighboring Texas has ceased its migrant busing program. This change comes as Texas implements its own border security reforms in response to reduced migrant crossings. However, the Tucson Sector in Arizona remains a hotspot, recording the highest number of encounters among all sectors in fiscal year 2024 so far, despite a decrease in arrests following a Biden administration executive order.
