NOGALES, Ariz. (KGUN) — Border issues are continuing even after the end of Title 42.
Now in Nogales, the mayor says over 200 migrants are being released onto the streets a day.
The Border Patrol van shows up and continues to release migrants onto Terrace Avenue.
Santa Cruz County Emergency Management Department employees work through language barriers to manage the situation, but many migrants don’t understand what’s going on.
Abdi Yousif is from Somalia, and says he’s trying to get to San Jose, Calif. to stay with a sponsor. However, he didn't know the bus he boarded was taking him to Tucson.
“Somalia is fighting a civil war, fighting with government, so many issues, Somalia is very dangerous," Yousif shared.
Giancarlo Zambrano, also waiting for the bus, came from Ecuador and is heading to New Jersey. Saying he faced robbery and extortion on his journey here, but Zambrano says he has come too far to turn back.
“I have to keep moving forward for my future, to live a better life," he revealed.
Nogales Mayor Jorge Maldonado says the migrants don’t cause concern for the safety of the community.
“These people get surveyed and checked on health and criminal records, they’re not here to try and harm anybody," Jorge Maldonado said.
The big concern is local businesses prioritizing dealing with illegal immigration over legal crossing points, as the government proposed taking Customs and Border Protection (CPB) Officers to help Border Patrol Agents process migrants.
“Washington made the move and told customs to shut gates for legal crossers in cars and pedestrians to go and help border patrol. Now we’re hurting our economy," Maldonado added.
The CBP still has not released apprehension numbers from the month of August. In July, the Tucson Sector led all nine border sectors in apprehensions, with nearly 40,000.
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