TUCSON, Ariz. (KVOA) — The topic of the surge in migrants seeking refuge at the border is not something that can be solved in one story, but we are committed to providing solutions to some of Arizona's biggest problems. looking for”. A lot of that is one of those things when we focus on local decision makers and the overcrowding of immigrants in the county.
The day-to-day struggle, care and support for these immigrants takes place at Casa Alitas, but the people who make decisions about how to solve the problem of over-immigrants come from the top, and are the ones who seek solutions. It is a coalition of people who
The average number of daily arrivals at Casa Alitas stores is well over 1,000.
Just a few years ago, there were only a few dozen cases a day. The average stay for migrants at the Casa Alitas facility is between 24 and 72 hours, but for those who return, they are no longer working as guests, but as volunteers.
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Jose Joya, a volunteer who immigrated from Venezuela, said in Spanish: “I put my heart and soul into this work because I'm grateful.” Cleaning, sweeping, and just about anything. ”
For kitchen volunteer Joy Tucker, putting more boots on the ground is an immediate solution to the daily internal work at the facility.
“Imagine 1,000 people coming into your facility and giving a welcome speech. They need to be coached. They need help in the kitchen. They need help getting the data into the computers.” said Mr. Tucker.
Data entry is critical to Pima County, which provides the infrastructure needed to seek out and obtain federal funding to pay for all of this locally at approximately $1 million per week.
“It's important to know that we don't want to do this, right?” said Mark B. Evans of the Pima County Communications Department. “The reason we're doing this is because the federal government releases thousands of people into our communities every month.”
So how is the county seeking solutions to the crisis?
“It's a solution to the symptom. It's not a solution to the problem,” Evans said.
Locally, Pima County is leading the effort, but it's a collaborative effort between border counties, the state, nonprofits, Customs and Border Protection, and others.
“The coalition will continue to grow as volume increases,” Evans said.
As that evolves, the answer to the “solution” to combating over-immigrants at the border also changes, depending on who you ask.
Mr Evans said the urgent need was to “continue to fund our work in a way that doesn't put our communities at risk”.
“We need more volunteers,” Tucker said.
Now with a work permit and a full-time job loading trucks, Hoya's ideal would be to support his wife and two sons in a new place to call home.
“Because what I love about Tucson is the people and their support. That's why I'm here,” Hoya said.
