Democratic Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs is requesting $752 million in federal government funds to fund migrant shelters and related services. The governor says she hopes to lessen the financial burden currently shouldered by local governments and non-governmental organizations. The unchecked flow of illegal immigrants across the southern border has brought many local government budgets to the brink of collapse.
The financial support requested by Arizona would be directed towards the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Shelter and Services Program, part of the anticipated Homeland Security Appropriations bill. This federal initiative provides aid to groups dedicated to assisting illegal immigrants who have claimed asylum.
According to Hobbs, Congressional inaction has shifted the responsibility for security and well-being onto working families in Arizona. The Democratic governor is also lobbying lawmakers to back the Senate border deal. The National Pulse has previously reported that the Senate legislation contains little in the way of border funding. It is primarily a guest worker program tacked on to military aid for Ukraine.
Local officials in Arizona say they hope that state and federal lawmakers will heed their appeals and address the escalating crisis. “I hope that Washington just listens to what we here on the border need. Sometimes we’re forgotten,” said Yuma police chief Thomas Garrity. He added: “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.”
