Financial assistance will be provided to agencies that serve immigrants in Yuma County and Southern Arizona.

As KAWC previously reported, locally, the Regional Border Health Center in Somerton is the only agency that works with Border Patrol to provide medical and travel services paid for by migrants once they pass background checks.

Previous reports had said some agencies may have to stop or reduce immigration services as soon as this month if their funding ends.

“We have funding to cover services through October or November, depending on the surge in migrants,” RCBH CEO Amanda Aguirre told KAWC.

On April 12, Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, along with Representative Ruben Gallego, announced approximately $55 million in Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Shelter and Services Program (SSP) funding to support Arizona communities dealing with the ongoing border crisis.

World Hunger in Yuma will receive $9,532,854.

“Arizona's local governments and nonprofits are doing critical work on the front lines to keep asylum seekers and communities safe, and this funding will help them continue their work and support border communities,” Senator Kerry said in a statement. “Senator Sinema and I have fought for these funds and will continue to urge the federal government to prioritize border communities.”

Congressman Raul Grijalva has also called for increased funding for border communities in Yuma County and Southern Arizona. In a released statement, Grijalva said, “I will continue to call for increased funding for the border, more immigration judges, an expedited hearing process, more work visas, and ultimately a path to citizenship. As a country, we must enact policies that address the underlying issues that drive migration. If we do nothing, the problem will only get worse.”

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Stay tuned to KAWC for more reports from the border.