Senator Mark Kelly secures more border funding

YUMA, Ariz. (KYMA, KECY) - U.S. Senator Mark Kelly has recently secured money in a new package to better protect the border.

In an attempt to better secure the border, the package includes overtime pay for Border Patrol agents and $650 million for border communities.

One local resident in Yuma described why the extra protection is necessary.

“We want immigration but we want legal immigration we don’t want just a flood of people and a flood of people coming over with drugs and we don’t need human trafficking,” said Brian Keay, a local Yuma resident.

There will also be almost $5,000,000 invested in Customs and Border Protection to help stop fentanyl trafficking.

Another local described how she is fine with the new border protection, but described what other investments she would like to see as well.

“More protection is okay but he should give more opportunities for the people who are crossing here to the United States… it would be nice for them to open programs for immigrants,” said Claudia Schofield, another local Yuma resident.

This new package could also potentially affect Yuma directly in a few different ways, according to Representative Tim Dunn.

“From my understanding, this is an extension for the shelter and services provisions for the border. So that’s going to continue to help with the Center for Border Health and those facilities,” said Representative Dunn.

Senator Kelly also helped provide money to the "High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas" program to help federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies in critical drug trafficking areas of the United States.