After federal officials denied Pima County’s request to use part of an Operation Stonegarden grant for humanitarian aid, the county administrator is still hopeful that the costs associated with the Casa Alitas shelter for migrant families will be recouped.
In 2019, Pima County spent $697,599 on humanitarian aid in support of temporary shelter operations throughout the community. So far, the county has received about $166,000 in grants to recover the cost.
A $531,000 grant — which would cover the remainder of the cost — remains outstanding.
The Pima County Board of Supervisors was hoping to receive approval from federal officials last year to use part of an Operation Stonegarden grant for humanitarian aid expenses, which would be used to offset costs incurred from the Casa Alitas shelter.
After voting to accept the Stonegarden grant last year, supervisors also submitted a funding modification that included $200,000 for humanitarian aid. Federal officials denied the modification, however, stating the requested funding provided “no border security operational benefit.”
“It is unfortunate the U.S. Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not approve our Operation Stonegarden (OPSG) grant humanitarian aid request of $200,000,” said County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry in a Dec. 30 memo. “Our request represented 1% of the total OPSG funding dedicated to border security.”
According to Huckelberry, the county will apply for a second round of Emergency Food and Shelter Program assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency to cover the remaining costs from 2019. The deadline to apply for the grant is March 16.
“I would expect that our request will be in the range of $1 million to compensate for all past expenditures related to Casa Alitas and our involvement in providing humanitarian aid to asylum seekers,” he said.
In 2019, Border Patrol and Immigration and Customs Enforcement released more than 20,000 migrants seeking asylum at the U.S. southern border to temporary shelters in the Tucson area. Casa Alitas, run by Catholic Community Services, is the largest and longest running among them.
With the help of the county, Casa Alitas moved into the county’s former juvenile justice facility in August as a way to fill an increasing need to temporarily house families seeking asylum after they’ve been processed and released. Since opening at the center, the shelter has processed more than 5,000 migrants.
While Catholic Community Services is responsible for day-to-day services, Pima County pays for all shelter operational expenses related to asylum seekers, such as vaccines and medical supplies, food, laundry and fixed costs, such as maintenance, janitorial services and utilities.
In a letter to the editor, Supervisor Steve Christy voiced his concern over the costs associated with Casa Alitas and said he would submit a resolution to the board directing the county administrator to cease taxpayer subsidization of the shelter.
“We can debate immigration issues within Pima County. What we cannot debate is that these issues are federal matters and should be dealt with and paid for by the federal government,” he wrote. “Pima County should not be in the asylum-seeker processing business.”
Stonegarden decision
On Tuesday, Feb. 4, the Board of Supervisors is scheduled to vote again on whether to accept the Operation Stonegarden grant, even without funds for humanitarian aid. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. in the county Administration Building, 130 W. Congress St.
Following the denial for humanitarian aid by federal officials, the Tucson Police Department notified the federal government it would withdraw from participation in the Stonegarden grant program, saying it does not align with TPD’s mission “and the expectation of the community we serve.”
Pima County Sheriff Mark Napier, however, is asking the board to reconsider accepting the fiscal year 2018 grant, which would provide over $1.8 million for equipment and overtime costs. While Napier explained that the overtime funded by the grant was essential to their ability to address public safety, he did suggest limiting the amount of overtime deputies could incur via Stonegarden.
“We address, to the best of our ability, the concern about pension costs associated with Stonegarden. We move forward with the current grant awards to address immediately public safety issues and secure much needed equipment. Finally, we engage a long-term solution that addresses the call from the community for a more autonomous approach, maintains an appropriate level of engagement with our federal partners and significantly enhances our ability to serve rural areas of the county at a lower cost,” Napier wrote in the Dec. 17 memo.
Huckelberry said he is recommending that supervisors accept the grant with some of Napier’s conditions. When asked which way he thought the vote would go, Huckelberry said he “really (had) no idea.”
“I think there will be a long discussion in the call to the audience portion of the meeting because there always is with Stonegarden,” he said. “And then it just depends on the board.”
