Pima County is preparing to receive thousands of asylum seekers in the coming weeks while aiming to avoid street releases, raising questions about its role in a federal program.
Nicole Ludden As Pima County readies to receive what could be thousands of asylum seekers when Title 42 ends May 11, it’s preparing resources with the key goal of avoiding releasing incoming migrants on the streets.
People are also reading… “The philosophy that's driving everything we're doing now is that we're saying there will not be street releases in this community. And if we say that, then that means we're going to provide certain kinds of services,” Lesher said. Even while Title 42 has been in place, the county has come “dangerously close” to street releases but managed to find shelter for asylum seekers in hotel rooms. Regardless, Lesher said the county is prepared for May 11.
Pima County is “fully aware that comprehensive immigration reform has been elusive, Deputy County Administrator Francisco Garcia testified at a U.S. Senate committee hearing on April 26. But Pima County doesn't want to be, nor should it be, in the business of sheltering and caring for people seeking asylum in the United States. That should be a function of the federal government.”
Lesher said the county knows it has federal funding to care for asylum seekers through June, and has “assurances that we will get the money from the federal government, but it's not sitting in our checking account.” “We were a welcoming center because we were welcoming the federal money,” he said. “Now, for many of us who have been sounding the clarion call for a number of years now that this is a problem, … now I have to say I do feel a sense of vindication and relief that the Pima County administration is finally coming forth and admitting that we have a crisis.”
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