The number of migrants coming through Pima County could increase dramatically and overwhelm existing local services without significant federal support, due to the planned lifting of public health policy Title 42 in May, says a memo Tuesday to the Board of Supervisors.
Title 42 was enacted at the beginning of the pandemic, and allows the federal government to immediately expel some migrants from the country. In Arizona this fiscal year, more than 27% of the 221,400 migrant apprehensions at the border resulted in an immediate expulsion under Title 42.
Throughout 2022, the average number of migrants coming through Pima County daily and using services ranged from 224 to 770. The Border Patrol estimates when Title 42 ends, the county could receive up to 1,200 to 1,500 people per day, which would overwhelm existing local capacity without significant federal support, says the memo from County Administrator Jan Lesher.
Migrants who come into Pima County can receive services that include temporary respite, food, hygiene items, baby supplies, shower facilities, a change of clothes and help contacting family or sponsors and facilitating transportation arrangements to leave Tucson and get to sponsors elsewhere in the United States. The county also provides COVID-19 testing of all arriving migrants, medical support and isolation for those who test positive.
Pima County has spent more than $23 million on migrant services since summer of 2019, which is being covered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program. A recent federal spending bill included about $800 million for the FEMA program to go nationwide to cities and jurisdictions providing migrant services.
The county has received a grant award for April and June and will continue to seek additional funds.
On May 11, the same day Title 42 is set to end, a new asylum rule is set to go into effect that would limit the number of asylum seekers allowed into the country. It’s not clear if the migrant estimates for the county take that, or numerous other factors that could change with the end of Title 42, into account.
Also on May 11, the federal government is ending the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, which could affect various community assets and partners, including hospitals losing the flexibility to expand capacity to respond to surges, the memo says.
And if the federal government stops supplying COVID tests and other related supplies to states and counties after the emergency order ends, it would also increase the cost to provide those services.
The details on migrant services were part of a broader item on the Pima County Board of Supervisors agenda Tuesday addressing policy modifications to end the last of the county’s COVID regulations on May 11.
