Sinema’s office did not provide any information about the proposed Tucson facility location, which was first reported by the Republic of Arizona.
During an increase in asylum seekers in 2019, CBP built a similar facility next to the Border Patrol Station in Yuma. This facility cost $ 15 million and could accommodate up to 500 people, CBP officials said at the time. During a media tour in August 2019, the facility was air-conditioned and the walls were lined with shelves with baby food, diapers, instant noodles, animal crackers as well as underwear, socks, T-shirts and other items. One room had a number of showers.
“You better have something on-site,” said Steve Kozachik, Tucson city councilor, who helped local churches, Catholic community services and hundreds of Tucson volunteers to take in more than 20,000 asylum seekers in 2019.
The possibility that Title 42, a Trump administration health ordinance that allows agents to quickly expel migrants during the pandemic, rather than process and release them, could soon be lifted would “open the floodgates,” Kozachik said.
Currently, Tucson shelters are receiving released asylum seekers in Yuma a few times a week, Kozachik said.
Generally, asylum seekers spend a few days in Tucson while arranging transportation to live with family and friends in cities across the United States while their asylum applications are processed.
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