TUCSON, Arizona (13 NEWS) – Law enforcement agencies across the state, including the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, are gearing up for large numbers of immigrants at the border as Title 42 ends Thursday.
Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels said their biggest challenge will be the number of releases.
“For our county, we expect to have 400 releases per day.” That’s the biggest thing, so we’re going to make sure it’s progressing and that it’s sustainable into the future,” said Dannels.
Dannells said the department is now well positioned given the state-local partnership. However, it remains unclear how long they can stay in that position.
“So I think we’re already over the fray in a lot of ways. It’s a way of giving migrants being released into an area adequate resources to deal with them,” Dannels said. I’m here. “That’s my big challenge right now, and the other challenge is the unknown.”
He added that the federal government has not adequately strengthened their guidance as the deadline approaches.
“It’s very upsetting. We all knew Title 42 was gone. So why didn’t we plan better?” said Dannels. “We can do a better job here. I’m talking about whether I can work for you.”
Another concern he has is how he is expected to pay for things like buses to transport immigrants.
“How much does the bus cost? No need to call. How do I set this up? They’re calling us to say we took care of that sheriff.” It’s frustrating to say the least,” says Dannels.
Senators Mark Kelly and Kirsten Cinema recently announced that Arizona will receive more than $45.5 million through its emergency food and shelter program. It will be used to help non-profit organizations and communities at the border provide vital assistance to immigrants.
The cost of things is a concern for him, but he said his number one priority is his people.
“My biggest concern is getting immigrants out of our community and how are we going to pay our bills? says. “But my number one priority and my mandate is public safety. And I wanted to continue doing what we had to do to keep them safe.”
Dannels added that a key to its success over the past two years has been its partnership with US Customs and Border Protection. He said they can continue to exceed this as long as that partnership remains strong.
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