Page 3 - aruba-today-20190629

A3
UP FRONT Saturday 29 June 2019

Top immigration official: Border crossings dropping

governs how children are
Continued from Front cared for in government
custody.
More than 100,000 people, Congress sent Trump a $4.6
mostly families from Central billion package on Thurs-
America, have crossed the day that bolsters care for
border each month over the tens of thousands of mi-
the past few months. Trump grants taken into custody.
sees the monthly border McAleenan praised the
numbers as a benchmark move, but also cautioned
for success, and in the past there was much more work
when he felt numbers were to do.
too high, he threatened to In Yuma, construction on
shut down the border. the new 500-person tent
McAleenan dismissed the facility in the back parking
idea that a projected de- lot of a Border Patrol head-
crease in June was due in quarters began about two
part to hot summer months, weeks ago. Large air con-
traditionally a time fewer ditioning units set up for
people cross. them hum loudly.
“These initiatives are mak- The facility is composed
ing an impact,” he said. of two large tents: One for
Meanwhile, facilities that processing and another
house detained migrants that’s divided into pods for Workers put the finishing touches as the U.S. Border Patrol unveiled a new 500-person tent facility
are vastly overcrowded holding and is expected to during a media tour Friday, June 28, 2019, in Yuma, Ariz.
and advocates and attor- open in the next day, said Associated Press
neys have decried condi- Yuma Sector Chief Antho- number of families and chil- off some immigrant families McAleenan also spoke of
tions inside. Border facilities ny Porvaznik. dren traveling unaccom- to a local shelter. the tragic image of a father
are meant as temporary The facilities will be exclu- panied has spiked over the The Border Patrol in Yuma and his toddler, drowned
holding stations, built to sively for families traveling last two years, although it’s had capacity for 400 peo- on the banks of the Rio
hold a maximum of about with children and for unac- dropped by almost half in ple, but regularly went over Grande.
4,000, but have routinely companied children. The the past few weeks, said that number as agents “The situation should not
held as many as 15,000. agency spent just under Porvaznik. struggled to process the be acceptable to any of
Teens and children, de- $15 million for the setup and “I think we were able to large number of people, us,” he said of the deaths.
tained days or weeks by services for four months, in- manage the process very most from Central Ameri- “It should galvanize action
U.S. border authorities, de- cluding meals, laundry and well although we were can and many of them and real debate ... And
scribed frigid cells where security. There are thick at the breaking point, we asylum seekers. yet here in Washington we
flu-stricken children in dirty mats to sleep on, showers, were under-resourced. Nearly 11,000 families and have collectively failed to
clothes ran fevers, vom- playpens for infants and This humanitarian crisis has 6,000 unaccompanied kids end this crisis. This is not on
ited and cried with no aluminum blankets. stretched our resources,” have crossed the Yuma the men and women of
idea when they would get Porvaznik said there will be he added. sector since October, mak- DHS. They deserve better
out, according to court many people to watch the He said despite extra room, ing it the third-busiest area and so do the families of
documents in a case that families and children. The agents will continue to drop in the Southwest. children.”q

Arizona, Sonora governors to meet at border conference

PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona ico-Canada agreement her hands.” a NAFTA agreement that state that borders Arizona,
Republicans on Friday negotiated at the insis- Mexico is Arizona’s largest he says boosted prosperity echoed the urgency of
urged U.S. House Speaker tence of President Donald trading partner, and Cana- and peace on the conti- approving the trade pact,
Nancy Pelosi to schedule Trump, who threatened to da is third after China. The nent. though she didn’t single
a vote on a plan to modify pull out of NAFTA if it wasn’t state did $20.4 billion worth They spoke at a confer- out Pelosi.
the North American Free renegotiated. of trade with the two North ence for the Arizona Mexi- “I want you to do every-
Trade Agreement, say- “I never thought I’d say this, American countries last co Commission, which pro- thing you can to get it
ing it’s crucial to Arizona’s but we’re counting on Nan- year. motes cross-border trade, approved in Congress,”
economy. cy Pelosi,” said McSally, a “I’d love to pull all the poli- transportation, tourism and Pavlovich told mayors and
Gov. Doug Ducey and Sen. Republican facing a tough tics and partisanship out other ties. business leaders. “It’s going
Martha McSally have been race in next year’s election. of this,” Ducey said, add- Gov. Claudia Pavlovich to be a great (deal) for So-
strong backers of U.S.-Mex- “The destiny of USMCA is in ing it’s an improvement on of Sonora, the Mexican nora, Arizona.” q