= — A new federal spending package signed by President Biden includes millions of dollars for border security and money for nonprofits.
Still, it’s unclear how much Arizona groups will receive and when that money will be dispersed.
“This is a federal issue,” said Jan Lesher, Pima County Administrator.
Pima County is the fiscal agent for nonprofits helping migrants in the Tucson Sector which is currently the busiest sector on the southern border.
The county works with groups and reimburses them using federal dollars.
“Without this funding, Pima County is not in a position to finance it,” Lesher said.
Funding for certain groups like Casa Alitas was set to expire on March 31 and would have created a gap in services for asylum seekers.
“We’ve been providing shelter, food, clothing, medical attention,” said Diego Piña Lopez, the group’s executive director.
He told ABC15 that even with the promise of new money it could take time to process and that may lead to fewer services.
The money from the new budget passed by Congress is supposed to prevent Border Patrol agents from releasing people on the streets instead of shelters.
But, according to Piña Lopez, that could still happen if the funding doesn’t come in fast enough.
“We’re not talking one day where 700 people get dropped off in the streets,” he said. “We’re talking about one day, followed by the next day, and the next day after that.”
Pima County said they don’t know how much they’ll receive but it should keep the shelter open for another three to four months.
“Now that the $650 million is going to FEMA for distribution, we’re anxious to hear how much of that will be earmarked for Pima County,” Lesher said.
Lesher also told ABC15 that the county may be able to provide assistance to Casa Alitas if they know how much the federal government is going to send and when it would be available.
“I believe before April 1 we will know how much money is earmarked for Pima County and when we’ll be able to get it and those individuals will be able to continue in the smooth process we’ve been operating…if money isn’t coming our way than those individuals will be released at the bus station,” she said.
ABC15 did reach out to FEMA to see how long it would take for funds to get dispersed.
Several lawmakers have also reached out to the federal government urging them to expedite the process so there are no gaps in service.
U.S. Rep. Ruben Gallego pressed Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in a letter urging the Department to swiftly disperse recently passed Shelter and Services Program (SSP) funding and to prioritize Arizona border communities that are on the front lines of the crisis.
“SSP funding is critical to keeping our border communities afloat. Providing adequate funding will help local leaders prevent street releases and protect access to community resources, like hospitals and first responders, for full-time residents,” Gallego wrote.
U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema said, “As Washington partisans fail to secure the border, Arizona border communities pay the price for their inaction – shouldering the burden of a crisis they did not create.”
