Yuma, Arizona – The U.S. House Judiciary Committee held hearings titled “Biden Border Crisis: Part II” at Yuma City Hall on Thursday, Feb. 23, with only standing room as citizens filled the room to hear testimony. bottom. Witnesses were Jonathan Lynes of Yuma County Superintendent District 2, Yuma Sheriff Leon Wilmot, and Dr. Robert Trenchell, president and CEO of the Yuma Regional Medical Center.
Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) opens the session for 5 minutes, followed by Rep. Tom McClintock (R-California), Chair of the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security and Enforcement Did. Other committee attendees included Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Arizona), Rep. Matt Gates (R-Florida), and Rep. Kevin Kiley (R-California). rice field.
While the hearings focused on the major problems caused by the influx of illegal immigrants into Arizona, Rep. Jordan spoke on politics in his opening remarks, and no Democrats on the committee came to Yuma. did not travel, tour, or attend any events. meeting.
“It’s disappointing that Democrats didn’t join us at the border, despite weeks’ notice,” said Rep. Jordan. “Unfortunately, but not surprisingly. In fact, Democrats called this hearing a stunt. Our witnesses wouldn’t call this a stunt. Democrats are missing out on experiences with people directly affected by President Biden’s border policies that we’ve had the opportunity to visit over the past 24 hours. increase.”
Rep. Jordan then took time to talk about what he learned in Yuma. He said 200 migrants illegally crossed the border last night (Feb. He said he had spoken to growers that morning and was shown the damage the immigrants had done to their land and crops.
According to Jordan, there were one-third more encounters this January than in the last two Januarys of Trump’s presidency combined. He concluded by saying that President Biden is pressuring Congress to pass a massive pardon package.
After taking the oath of office, Dr. Trenshell of Yuma Regional Hospital explained to the commission the impact of the opening of the border on the facility.
“We are providing the same level of care to everyone, whether they are immigrants or residents,” Dr. Trenschel said. began to arrive at our place, they arrived in critical condition, they put them on dialysis, they did heart surgery, many very sick, some chronic, many in intensive 60 days in the treatment room.Maternity patients are one of the most common patients we see.They come to us without antenatal care.They have high-risk pregnancies and I will give birth to a high-risk baby with serious complications that require a long stay in the neonatal intensive care unit.”
“There are language concerns, and they need to speak languages around the world and find additional resources. We need to find a family to help them, we need to find a place for them to be safe, which may include purchasing a wheelchair, child seat and plane ticket. Costs are not included in the $26 million in uncompensated costs, which are audited unpaid medical costs arising from undocumented care of persons, these costs are unsustainable We had to hire more staff, we can’t continue, they can’t pay, we can’t charge them, we don’t know where they’re going.”
Three times as many people as Yuma’s population cross the border each year, and Yuma is the only hospital, Trenschel said. He said they had reached out to state and federal agencies for help, but had had no response. rice field. They can’t stand problems on their own. In a later question, he responded affirmatively that people using hospital beds across the border denied Yuma taxpayers the ability to use their own hospitals.
Sheriff Wilmot testified that his team and other law enforcement agencies kept Yuma as one of the safest counties until the border opened. He spoke of a wave of crime: smuggling people, money and drugs.
“The new administration started with 200 arrests a day, then 400 arrests a day, and now they’re arresting over 1,000 criminals a day. They’re what we catch.” Sheriff Wilmot said under oath.
He also spoke of the visual ecological disaster caused by the constant crossing of immigrants.Tons of garbage, damaged crops and ditches, medicines and biowaste are left behind. He said his department had to budget for “portageons” to prevent excretion in the fields.
“There are between 400 and 800 minors crossing the border to attend school,” says Wilmot. The cartels have them smuggle lying drugs, saying law enforcement won’t arrest minors. ”
Border-related bookings cost the county $440,000, according to the sheriff. They reserved immigrants who crossed illegally for crimes such as sexual abuse of minors, theft, robbery, smuggling, and murder, all at the taxpayer’s expense.
The Commission was told that no new federal laws were needed, but it is important to enforce what is in the book to save Yuma and other border towns.
Monet Bacs, Strategy Director of the LIBRE Initiative, an organization committed to the education and empowerment of the Latinx community, issued the following statement: By the inability of Washington’s policies and lawmakers to find a bipartisan solution. Kudos to the House Judiciary Committee for holding hearings on this important issue here in Arizona. Hear directly from local communities and local elected officials about what we see every day as a border state. We urge lawmakers on both sides of the aisle to enact solutions that secure borders, deter illegal passage, and streamline existing legal channels. ”
