Cochise County Sheriff speaks on migrant street releases

TUCSON, Ariz. (NBC / KYMA, KECY) - An increased number of migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border led to street releases in Cochise County.

Street releases began on Wednesday in Cochise County and are raising concern for the community including Pima County.

Former Tucson border patrol chief, Victor Manjarrez, says that if the number of asylum seekers continues to rise and the waitlist to gain asylum continues to backlog, Pima County might see similar action with street releases.

"The numbers are so much, or so overwhelming, the government doesn't have the ability to hold them all before their cases come up, so they have to release them," said Manjareez.

According to Pima County Communications Director Mark Evans, Pima County is not seeing street releases currently.

The Cochise County Sheriff's Department is holding a press conference Thursday, the livestream will be attached to this article.

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Here is the livestream of the press conference: