Las Cruces City Council approved $500K to help care for asylum seekers
The City of Las Cruces voted Thursday to allocate up to $500,000 to care for asylum seekers released by federal immigration authorities.
The vote during the emergency session was unanimous. City Councilor Gil Sorg was absent.
Council had previously approved $75,000 for the same purpose just ten days ago.
As of Thursday afternoon, Las Cruces has accepted 2,100 asylum seekers released by federal authorities and the number of migrants arriving continues to grow.
The half-a-million dollars approved Thursday would pay for bus transportation, security, laundry and cleaning services, interpreters, meals and medical services among other things.
Las Cruces Mayor Ken Miyagishima told ABC-7 the chances of using the entire $500,000 by the end for the fiscal year this summer are very slim.
In Las Cruces Thursday, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan-Grisham said she will ask the federal government to reimbuse local taxpayers. “I’ve asked them for money to help reimburse us for some of these activities. They know that I intend to keep asking for it,” the governor said.
A concerned taxpayer praised Council for its efforts to help the migrants while letting it know he is against the use of local taxpayer funds for this purpose.
“I do appreciate your big hearts in helping people. Period. I am totally proud of what you’re doing to help people. But I myself am on the opposite side and I refuse to help people who don’t abide by our laws, that don’t come in the way they should,” the taxpayer said.
