DOUGLAS, Ariz. (KGUN) — Funding for the transportation of processed asylum seekers ends at the end of the month, leaving border cities to come up with a plan for transportation and resources for the migrants released into their communities.
City of Douglas Mayor Donald Huish says they are having to think outside the box to try and help these migrants after they are dropped of inside the city limits.
“It’s unfair and inhumane to leave them in Douglas, without any possible transportation out of town. Because where do they go?" he said. "We have no shelter, we have no facility to do that.”
A religious organization in the city is serving as a temporary shelter, and has been since September. Huish says the city may have to take over those operations too, so the organization can have its facility back. Douglas City Council approved funding to help with food and laundry service costs, assisting the volunteers at the temporary shelter.
Huish says one of the options for a shelter is the national armory building, but the federal government wants the city to pay to use and staff the building. He says they have reached out to Governor Katie Hobbs' office to see if the state can help, but haven't heard back.
“We’re scratching our heads and exploring all the options we can visibly see out there, but sadly we haven’t come up with a good solution to date—other than the federal government needs to take care of the problem they started, ” Huish said.
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Alexis Ramanjulu is a reporter in Cochise County for KGUN 9. She began her journalism career reporting for the Herald/Review in Sierra Vista, which she also calls home. Share your story ideas with Alexis by emailing alexis.ramanjulu@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook.
