Sinema spoke to Secretary Mayorkas about the current migrant surge in the Yuma Sector
WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema spoke with U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas requesting that he deploy more personnel and resources to the border to better manage the ongoing migrant surge and protect Arizona communities.
“The administration must ensure Arizona has increased personnel, transportation options, and resources to help with the current migrant surge. We’ll continue working across the aisle, with local leaders in Arizona, and the administration to secure the border, protect our communities, and ensure migrants are treated fairly and humanely,” said Sinema, Chair of the Senate’s Border Management Subcommittee.
Sinema secured Secretary Mayorkas’s commitment to assign additional U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents to the Yuma Sector. Sinema also called on Secretary Mayorkas to ensure better coordination between ICE and CBP and increase transportation resources to help move migrants from the border once processed. Sinema also pressed the Secretary to help identify resources to alleviate challenges at the Yuma Regional Medical Center due to the high numbers of migrants seeking care. Sinema also spoke about Yuma Sector issues with U.S. Border Patrol Chief Raul Ortiz earlier this month.
Sinema recently sponsored and led passage of the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs law, which includes $152.4 million to fund the second half of the San Luis Port of Entry upgrade project, as well as $237.6 million for a new land port of entry in Douglas and $202.5 million for modernization of all existing structures and expanding processing capacity at the existing Raul Hector Castro Port of Entry.
Earlier this year, Sinema partnered with Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) to introduce their Bipartisan Border Solutions Act—legislation that improves the federal government’s response to the border crisis, reduces the impact on local border communities and ensures migrants are treated fairly and humanely.