New Mexico counties revolt against migrant releases

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New Mexico counties revolt against migrant releases

By Andrew Hay

 

Central American migrants stand in line before entering a temporary shelter, after illegally crossing the border between Mexico and the U.S., in Deming, New Mexico, U.S., May 16, 2019. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez/Files

 

TAOS, N.M. (Reuters) - Two more New Mexico counties have declared their opposition to taking in migrants in a growing revolt against federal authorities dropping off a surge in Central American families in the state's rural, southern communities.

 

The record influx of asylum seekers has overwhelmed border detention facilities and shelters, forcing U.S. immigration authorities to bus migrants to nearby cities and even fly them to California.

 

Las Cruces, New Mexico, has received over 6,000 migrants since April 12. Deming, population 14,183, gets 300 to 500 a day, according to City Administrator Aaron Sera.

 

Democratic Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has dismissed President Donald Trump's claims of a border security crisis and advocated a humanitarian response. She is in Washington seeking federal funds to reimburse cities that give support.

 

But some New Mexico counties say they want nothing to do with sheltering migrants, with officials saying the governor's approach may worsen the border crisis.

 

Sierra County, population 11,116, was one of two Republican-controlled New Mexico counties to pass resolutions on Tuesday evening opposing the relocation of migrants to their communities.

 

Sierra County also called on Trump to close the border to immigration to end the crisis.

 

"We have to take care of our veterans, our seniors, our residents, first and foremost," said County Manager Bruce Swingle. "We're a very impoverished county."

 

Sierra County has a median annual household income of $29,690 and a 21 percent poverty rate, according to Data USA.

 

'FEEDING PIGEONS'

To the east, Lincoln County passed a resolution that it was not prepared to spend taxpayer dollars on housing "illegal immigrants," said Commissioner Tom Stewart.

 

"We have a tight budget and need to focus on a new hospital that we are building," Stewart said. "As long as we continue to extend citizen benefits to unregistered aliens the flows will continue."

 

The moves followed a similar May 2 resolution by neighboring Otero County.

 

County Commission Chairman Couy Griffin said sheltering migrants sent the wrong message to other Central Americans thinking of leaving their homes and would deepen the border crisis.

 

"If you begin to feed pigeons in the parking lot, pretty soon you have every pigeon in town," Griffin said.

 

Lujan Grisham spokesman Tripp Stelnicki said there was no evidence humanitarian aid encouraged people to leave their homes.

 

"They are moving because they have no other choice and its frankly un-American to suggest we close our doors to people in need," he said.

 

The border situation is taking a tragic toll on the migrants themselves. On Wednesday, the Department of Health and Human Services, which oversees unaccompanied child migrants, said a 10-year-old girl from El Salvador died in its custody in September, bringing to six the number of children who have died in U.S. custody, or shortly after release, in the last eight months.

 

(Reporting By Andrew Hay; Editing by Sonya Hepinstall)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-05-23

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[HappyinNE]

Sanctuary Cities sounds to me.  Add in Sanctuary States.  California can take a lot, so can San Francisco.

[metisdead]

A troll post has been removed as well as the replies. 

[Morty T]

Trump previously announced he would start relocating these illegals to Sanctuary cities. As typical behavior with liberals, all talk, no game. You would think this would be a prime opportunity for them to showcase the compassion they readily talk of, however as to date, no offers from New York or Massachusetts to take in these poor souls. The President should just put them on a bus, one way ticket. 

[jimmyyy]

Send em all to the sanctuary cities and states, every last one of them.

[lannarebirth]

I used to live in New Mexico. Most of the people there of hispanic heritage could trace their family's roots there back 300-400 years. Long before there was ever a United States of America.