TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Pima County spent millions of federal dollars temporarily housing migrants—with federal approval. Now the Feds are holding up reimbursements for millions of dollars of money the county’s already spent—and raising the idea that the shelter programs broke the law.
Pima County says it only housed migrants CBP allowed to enter the US to pursue asylum claims— Border Patrol often drove them to the shelter. Migrants usually only stayed in the shelter a few days before moving on to sponsor families.
The county’s expecting about $10.3 million in reimbursements for money it has already spent.
Now FEMA sent the County a letter saying it’s withholding the money while it does a review----and it raises the idea that entities like Pima County may have broken the law by encouraging people to come to the U.S. illegally.
The letter uses words like, “harboring”, “concealing”, “conspiracy” and “aiding and abetting”.
Pima Supervisors Board Chair Rex Scott says the first Trump Administration approved the grants—and repeats that CBP approved the migrants to enter and often brought them to the shelter in CBP vehicles.
He says the county sheltered the migrants for the safety of everyone who lives in Pima County.
“What was on our mind was not only the health and safety of asylum seekers during the time that they're here, but public health and safety, because if you have street releases of asylum seekers, like you saw in other border communities around the southwest, then that's an issue for public health and safety as well as the health and safety of asylum seekers.”
Pima County Administrator Jan Lesher says she’s looking forward to the Federal review.
Supervisor Scott says Pima County will ask members of Congress for help and prepare to fight in the courts.