Sinema visits Yuma to speak on the immigration crisis
UPDATE: Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona) met with members of the Yuma 50 right after touring both the soft-sided facility at U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Headquarters as well as MCAS Yuma. During the tour of the military base, the Democratic senator was given the chance to speak directly with service members currently stationed at MCAS Yuma about any concerns that they have.
The senator reassured everyone that she has major shoes to fill following the legacy that late Senator John McCain left behind. Military and those that serve were always a priority to Senator McCain, and she mentioned keeping and maintaining that priority in her work.
Some major issues that Sen. Sinema spoke about in a roundtable meeting with members of the Yuma 50 included military grounds infrastructure as well as the well-being of those that serve. A spokesperson for Sen. Sinema mentioned how one of the biggest issues that affect service members directly is the outdated barracks that date back to the 1950s .
” The importance of our military installations cannot be overstated, ” said Sen. Sinema. ” They are important to our national security but to our military readiness, but also to the economic readiness of Yuma ”
Many Yuma leaders were thrilled to have a state senator directly working with them and including military service members.
John Courtis, Vice-chair of the Yuma 50, was one of the members that met with Sen. Sinema during the roundtable. He was also one of the many that expressed his gratitude to the senator.
” We’re thrilled at the fact that Senator Sinema says: ‘ I need a peek behind the curtain, ” said Courtis. ” That she has the need to see what’s going on with men and women in the base, the conditions of the barracks, health, and welfare of service members … to see what can the federal government do and the fact that she was here means a lot to southwest Arizona. ”
Sinema also made it part of her visit to stop by the soft and hard side facilities at the Border Patrol Headquarters, to which she saw many improvements to the conditions in which asylum-seeking migrants are kept in. This also comes a week after US Representative Greg Stanton and House Minority Leader Charlene Fernandez visited the facilities. The facility which houses hundreds of migrants was made possible after the senate approved supplemental funding, funding that Senator Sinema was in favor of.
” And what I saw was really important it shows very clearly how important that supplemental border appropriation was that we supplied this year, ” said Sen. Sinema. ” The changes are tremendous and it’s important that Congress continues to make this thread of funding available when we expect a surge of migrants in the fall. ”
For now, the Senator heads back to Washington D.C. with a notepad full of concerns, thoughts, and suggestions that she gathered directly from those that protect our country as she makes it the mission of her work to protect them.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE: Arizona State Senator Kyrsten Sinema (D – AZ) will be touring the U.S. Customs and Border Protection soft-sided facility in Yuma on Wednesday afternoon.
The visit comes a week after United States Representative Greg Stanton and State House Minority Leader Charlene Fernandez visited the San Luis Port of Entry as well as the soft-sided facility.
Sen. Sinema’s visit will also include a visit and meeting at MCAS Yuma where she will speak to Marines about current challenges that they are facing. Sinema will be meeting with the Yuma 50, a local group that provides support and advocates for military assets.
The visit is to further work on legislation to stop service member suicide and to provide them with the services they need to prevent suicide among military members.
Stay with us for the latest updates.
