Ariz. counties say cost of illegal immigration soaring

Emergency $1.5m from governor is called inadequate

September 04, 2005|Associated Press

TUCSON -- The cost of dealing with illegal immigration exceeds the emergency $1.5 million Governor Janet Napolitano agreed to send to Southern Arizona, county officials say.

Citing security shortcomings by the federal government, Napolitano and Democratic Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico last month declared emergencies on their states' borders with Mexico. That freed up emergency funds -- a total of more than $3 million for the two states -- for law enforcement overtime, for repairs of border and cattle fences, and for costs related to illegal immigrants' deaths.

However, officials of Pima, Cochise, Santa Cruz, and Yuma counties said Friday that they probably will have to spend at least $5 million over the next six months to a year.

County officials hope that their huge immigration-related costs will convince the governor that she needs to take a step beyond her emergency declaration and ask the federal government to declare a national emergency.

Napolitano's office hasn't ruled out seeking future federal help, but a spokeswoman said Friday that the time isn't ripe just yet.

''The governor fully expected that the $1.5 million is inadequate for county needs," said Pati Urias, Napolitano's deputy communications director. ''But it is an initial amount that counties will be able to begin to tap into as they apply for funding. Options are being explored. Many things are being looked at. There could be further emergency declarations in the future."

The Pima County Board of Supervisors will vote Tuesday on whether to seek emergency help from the state and federal governments.