Republican Yuma, Arizona, Mayor Douglas Nicholls declared a local emergency Thursday due to “unprecedented numbers of migrants entering the city … resulting in a humanitarian and border crisis.”
“Yuma area and federal agency personnel are struggling to manage the flow of migrants in the community and at federal facilities,” Nicholls said in a press release, noting a 2,647% increase in the number of migrant encounters since Oct. 1.
Nicholls said U.S. Border Patrol agents have encountered more than 6,000 migrants over the last five days.
#USBP #YumaSector agents encountered more than 4,000 migrants who illegally entered the United States from Mexico Friday through Monday. Agents continue to work expeditiously to identify, screen and process those they encounter. #BorderSecurity is #NationalSecurity pic.twitter.com/CdYxhsBhtA
— Chief Patrol Agent Chris T. Clem (@USBPChiefYUM) December 8, 2021
Nicholls warned that the surge of migrants “will continue to strain the ability of medical staff and local hospital resources to provide essential and necessary medical care” amid the pandemic. (RELATED: Fauci Blows Off Open Borders, Says America Can’t Stop COVID Anyway)
In declaring a local emergency, the city is now eligible for state and federal funding to “mitigate the crisis,” according to the press release.
“The change in the movement of migrants greatly impacts the Yuma community,” Nicholls said, noting federal resources are needed to handle the crisis. Nicholls also noted the surge of migrants hurts the community’s agriculture industry because migrants passing through on foot encroach “on active production fields” resulting in “food safety concerns and the destruction of crops,” which threatens the “nation’s food security.”
Republican Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced Tuesday the state would send additional resources to Yuma to help with the crisis.
Yuma is facing an escalating humanitarian and border crisis — and it’s a direct result of the Biden administration’s poor communication, lack of organization and complete disregard for border protection. 1/ pic.twitter.com/HSz7Y5zkjC
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) December 6, 2021
“It’s clear the Biden administration has created a December Disaster at our border,” Ducey said. “As a result of piecemeal policy and a lack of federal involvement, U.S. Customs and Border Protection has been inundated. We simply cannot stand by and watch this catastrophe unfold.”