Yuma border expecting migrants as Title 42 ends
YUMA COUNTY, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - As Title 42 comes to an end Thursday night, hundreds of migrants are crossing the Yuma Sector border seeking asylum knowing they can't be turned away before it expires.
Not many people waiting in line to turn themselves in to border patrol near 4:00 p.m. but there were far more migrants Wednesday evening going into Thursday morning.
According to Yuma Mayor Doug Nicholls, we can expect over 140 screened migrants to be released throughout Yuma County Friday morning, 96 within the city of Yuma.
With many migrants stepping into the U.S., the mayor urges people to remain calm.
"There's not people that have been convicted of crimes that are being released. There's going to be single adults and family units," says Nicholls.
He adds that the migrants will not be released in neighborhoods.
"They're going to be in more commercial type areas that have resources that the migrants could engage for their own ability to move along into wherever their ultimate destination is," continues Nicholls.
Vanessa Gongora spoke with Arizona State Representative Tim Dunn (R-Arizona) from Yuma who says it's chaos at the border and it's going to affect everyone.
Dunn says he was informed about 4,000 migrants were awaiting at the San Luis border Thursday morning and about 42,000 along the entire Arizona border.
Dunn has requested FEMA to engage at the border to bring more resources and facilities.
Now that Title 42 will be lifted, Title 8 immigration law is said to be back in effect.
"Secretary Mayorkas had a press conference this morning outlining their transition to Title 8. They're supposed to expel and remove the situation. They're putting in facilities in Mexico and Southern Mexico where they're supposed to check in but we don't believe that they're actually going to expel and remove them. I think that's lip service," stated Rep. Dunn.
Dunn says there's a better way to solve immigration issues.
He suggests people wait in Mexico while they seek asylum.
Dunn says at the legislature they are working with the Governor's Office as she's working on the humanitarian side of things and they are also working on getting more buses to transport migrants to their final destination.
Meanwhile, Mayor Nicholls is now asking the Biden administration to issue a federal emergency.
He says he's working with local organizations to handle the overflow of migrants.
Vanessa Gongora also spoke with one man who came all the way from the Dominican Republic.
Oscar Emilio Costa says his goal is to fulfill the American dream to find a better life and help his family.
He says his family knew about the end of Title 42 and that's why they came to the United States quicker.
"With the help of god we'll get to help my parents who are sick back home," stated Oscar Emilio Costa, a Dominican migrant.
