Democratic Rep. Gallego says White House is unprepared for migrant surge when Title 42 ends
WASHINGTON — The latest criticism against the Biden administration’s policies at the southern border isn’t coming from a conservative — it’s being levied by progressive Rep. Ruben Gallego.
The Arizona Democrat argues that border communities in his state “are simply unequipped to handle the surge of migrants” when Covid restrictions on immigration, known as Title 42, expire on May 11.
In four letters addressed to President Joe Biden, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and House Appropriations Committee leaders Thursday, Gallego raised concerns that the administration has not done enough to address the state's needs ahead of what is expected to be a surge in migration.
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“I have heard repeated concerns about a lack of information around federal government policy that directly impacts Arizonans, our communities, and our local economies,” Gallego wrote to Biden after holding one-on-one calls with local officials. “That includes limited notification of what resources and Department of Defense personnel will be sent to their area.”
Gallego said that mayors and county officials had expressed “confusion around new administration policy on migrant processing prioritization based on national origin, requests for asylum, and combinations thereof” and are frustrated by their “inability to share complaints, concerns, and critical observations with federal officials.”
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By Julie Tsirkin, NBC News