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Arizona border groups that serve migrants to receive funding

Buses are stationed outside the Regional Center for Border Health in Somerton, Ariz. The buses bring migrants apprehended at the border to RCBH for COVID testing and food and water before taking them to Phoenix and Tucson. It is not known at this time if any of these buses are taking migrants from Yuma County to Washington, D.C.
KAWC
Buses are stationed outside the Regional Center for Border Health in Somerton, Ariz. The buses bring migrants apprehended at the border to RCBH for COVID testing and food and water before taking them to Phoenix and Tucson. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema's announcement Friday that money is coming to area migrant aid groups did not specify that RCBH is among those groups but it is the largest one.

Arizona will receive more than $45.4 million in federal funding to help pay for costs associated with a surge in undocumented migrants next week with the termination of Title 42.

The pandemic era protocol has been used by the Biden and Trump Administrations to deport some asylum seekers.

The policy ends on Thursday.

The federal funding, part of the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, will be distributed to non-profits and communities along the US-Mexico border.

The money is intended to provide critical assistance to migrants and to prevent migrants from being released onto the streets following their interactions with Border Patrol agents at the border.

U.S. Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly say the funding is being reallocated from the Shelter and Services Program to the Emergency Food and Shelter Program.

U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego this past week sent four letters to administration officials and Congress after hearing from leaders in Arizona’s border communities. Congressman Gallego, who has visited San Luis and Yuma in recent months and is running for the U.S. Senate, requested resources border cities need before the pandemic-era policy ends May 11.

Gallego did not specify which border leaders he spoke with.

A Yuma Sector Border Patrol deputy chief told KAWC recently that agents here are preparing for a surge in migrants.

Volunteers with the Arizona-California Humanitarian Coalition tell KAWC they anticipate having more volunteers and supplies if there is a change in asylum numbers.

San Luis Mayor Nieves Riedel told KAWC city police are ready to assist as needed.

Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls has said we could see as many as 1,000 migrants a day. Yuma Sector officials said they are seeing about 500 migrants a day. That's up from recent months.

Victor is originally from West Sacramento, California and has lived in Arizona for more than five years. He began his print journalism career in 2004 following his graduation from Georgetown University in Washington D.C. Victor has been a reporter for the following daily newspapers: The Monterey County Herald, The Salinas Californian and the Reno Gazette-Journal, where he covered stories including agriculture, education and Latino community news. Victor has also served as a local editor for Patch, a national news organization with hyperlocal websites, in Carmichael, California in the Sacramento area. He also served as the editor for The New Vision, the newspaper for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Tucson, which includes Yuma and La Paz counties. Victor lives in Somerton. He enjoys spending time with his family and friends and following most sports.
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