Mayor Nicholls returns from D.C. visit

Yuma's Mayor says the city's biggest issues like the border and water require federal assistance

YUMA, Ariz. (KECY, KYMA) - Local issues in Yuma like immigration and water continue to require federal action.

Mayor Doug Nicholls went to D.C. representing the entire state of Arizona for the National League of Cities conference.

But also says he made plenty of time to talk with lawmakers about issues Yuma is facing, saying overal the visit was a success.

As he met with both of the state's senators and Arizona members of Congress.

“It was great to have that engagement at the federal level," Nicholls said.

Mayor Nicholls says water and the border are some of the biggest issues facing the city. 


They’re issues he says Yuma needs federal support to fix. 

Mayor Nicholls met also with DHS officials as he believes migrant apprehension numbers could go back up to record levels when Title 42 ends May 11.

But so far there are no concrete solutions.

“They didn’t really have any new plans, and so that was disappointing,” Nicholls said.

Nicholls added they did have productive conversations about improving local ports of entry.

On water issues, he met with the Bureau of Reclamation, a federal organization the city is currently suing.

Due to an approved water transfer from the Colorado River to Queen Creek.


“Really asking for a pause, the same thing I asked the governor, we asked for a pause on any future transfer considerations,” Nicholls said.

Mayor Nicholls says he also continued to push for FAA approval of a spaceport in Yuma.

He also passed along a letter from the mayor of Felicity asking the Department of the Interior to make the center of the world a UNESCO Heritage Site.