Border bill fails in Senate vote
WASHINGTON (KYMA, KECY) - The U.S. Senate voted on a border bill Thursday that would have tightened security and tackled the fentanyl crisis, but it fell short of the 60 votes required to pass.
This isn't the first border bill the Senate has voted against this year.
Another border bill vote fails in Congress but the border crisis continues with thousands of migrants still crossing into our area.
According to U.S. Customs and Border Protection, last month, the Yuma Sector saw more than 5,600 migrants cross the border.
“The reason the bill failed back in February, the reason that the border is today, is Donald Trump. Donald Trump woke up one day and decided that doing nothing on the border would help him politically, he literally said blame me," shared Senator Brian Schatz (D- Hawaii).
Independent U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema from Arizona spoke before the vote saying, “I stand here today, yet again as the border crisis continues to devastate my state.”
Yet she voted against it.
“Today’s vote is not an attempt to solve the problem or provide relief to Arizona border communities. Today’s vote is to send a message. Arizona doesn’t need your message. Arizona needs your help. Arizona needs action," said Senator Sinema.
In February, the Senate failed to pass a bipartisan border bill that Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-Arizona) had taken part in creating.
Democratic U.S. Senator Mark Kelly from Arizona voted 'Yes' on Thursday's border bill and shared a statement after it failed to pass.
“Just like three months ago, too many Senators decided they’d rather keep talking about the problem than actually solve it. As a result, Arizona still doesn't have the additional Border Patrol agents, technology and personnel to stop fentanyl, officers to quickly screen asylum claims, and other tools in this bill that we need to address the border," shared Senator Kelly.
Republican U.S. Senate candidate Mark Lamb who was in favor of the bill that didn't pass believes there needs to be change on our border.
“Enforcing the laws on the books like Title 8, risk reinstating the remain in Mexico program or the remain in whatever country you're in program until the judge has a chance to see you," said Sheriff Mark Lamb, (R-Arizona) Senate candidate.
The border crisis has had an effect on many local non-profits, one of them being the Yuma Community Food Bank.
The Yuma Community Food Bank said in March, there were over 700 new households they had to feed, that number rose to 950 in April.
“We’re not really sure what the origins are but with the trends of having additional people coming into our country we can only assume a lot of it is coming through the border," shared Shara Whitehead, Yuma Community Food Bank President and CEO.
The Yuma Community Food Bank said they are having to turn to the community even more now for support to be able to feed those in need.
