Tucson Sector continues to have the highest number of migrants crossing, and by far the highest number of families and children, even as the total number of migrant apprehensions at the southern border dropped slightly from the previous month.
Pima County is receiving nearly $22 million in federal funding to continue services to asylum seekers, who come to Tucson and smaller border communities after being released by Border Patrol.
The case in Nogales, Arizona, has attracted national attention as border security becomes an increasingly important issue in this year’s presidential contest.
Pima County expects to receive at least 12 million dollars in federal funding from the recent Homeland Security appropriations bill to continue services to asylum seekers through August, after coming dangerously close to having to turn people away.
County will avoid street releases at the end of the week, anticipating federal funding from the $650 million, in the border security funding bill, for shelter and services to asylum seekers.
Friday was opening arguments in the trial of George Alan Kelly, the 75-year-old rancher being charged in the shooting death of a Mexican citizen, who prosecutors say was on Kelly’s property while crossing the U.S.-Mexico border undocumented.
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