Rep. Grijalva urges Biden Administration to address resources needed for Southern AZ rural communities
Recently, asylum seekers have been released to Southern Arizona rural communities
WASHINGTON (KYMA, KECY) - Representative Raúl Grijalva (D-Arizona) sent a letter to the Biden administration about the communities that lack the infrastructure and capacity to manage the latest increase of migrants.
In the letter, Rep. Grijalva highlights the critical issue that some of the locations where migrants are being released do not have enough resources or infrastructure to handle the street releases.
“Some of these locations lack the infrastructure, such as housing, transportation, medical care etc., and capacity to provide migrants with the support they need. Subjecting migrants, including families, to this expedited process by way of street releases in parts of rural Arizona without the necessary resources, puts intense strain on our communities and is cruel. No migrant family or individual should be forced with the task of navigating a new country without help, many of which are struggling with language barriers. It is inhumane and against our values.”
Rep. Grijalva (D-Arizona)
Rep. Grijalva also urges the Biden administration in the letter to improve federal coordination efforts with local communities and increase resources.
“The federal government’s coordination efforts with local communities have fallen short and must be improved. The DHS preparedness plan calls for ‘improved coordination and information sharing with NGOs, states, cities, and other stakeholders.’ I urgently request that CBP and your Administration proactively engage and coordinate with these entities to prevent individuals and families from being released in areas without resources and logistics in place. I ask that you quickly assess current federal coordination efforts and provide a more detailed plan to improve the process for our nation… Lastly, I request that funding from the newly formed Shelter and Services Program be distributed in a transparent, equitable and accessible manner so that borderlands NGOs and local governments that have been assisting migrants are able to continue their vital work. It’s critical that we surge federal funding for these entities that support asylum seekers, including funding and transportation, as soon as possible to assist these communities with capacity issues.”
Rep. Grijalva (D-Arizona)
To read the full letter, click here.
