Senator Ruben Gallego hosts mobile hours at Yuma City Hall

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA) - U.S. Senator Ruben Gallego from Arizona hosted mobile office hours Thursday at Yuma City Hall.

The senator's Constituent Service Team was there in person to hear and help Yuma locals in need. They focused on helping Arizonans navigate services like VA benefits, Social Security, the IRS, and immigration services. 

Gallego says that despite the shutdown, he recognizes Arizonans are still facing challenges and would like to help.

"To hear from the actual people from their mouth directly is what really matters, so we're here to listen, try to help folks where we can, and to direct them somewhere else when we might not be able to get them the direct answer they need right away," said Zak Royse, the Southern Arizona Director in Sen. Gallego's office.

Deb Chinn is a Yuma local who came down to talk to Gallego's team looking for help on getting VA disability benefits for her husband.

"He has cancer that is not in remission, and we're being killed by copays and things with the VA," she explained.

Chinn shares how it feels to have someone hear them out.

"I like to know that people hear us, I mean, right now, we don't have representation because Adelita has not been signed in yet, so anybody that we can get to hear us is a good thing," she says.

Emiliano Rodriguez, another local, shares that although he did not vote for Gallego he likes what he is doing.

"That's what the Senator and Representative should do, come down to the local area, and hear the people's voice, and take back their ideas and take what they have heard and put it together in law or whatever they have to do you know," Rodriguez says.

The event took place from noon to 3:00 p.m., and around 25 people RSVP'd for the event.