North Austin News

U.S. Representatives Michael McCaul (R-Texas) and Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) have called for increased funding for first responders in communities affected by the migrant crisis. In a letter to House Appropriations Committee leadership, the representatives emphasized the strain on local governments, police, and fire departments due to the surge in migrant encounters at the southwest border. They highlighted the record-breaking number of encounters, with over 2.4 million migrants encountered in the fiscal year.

The letter stated, "Increased operations are stretching the resources of local governments, police, and fire departments to the limit. Without additional funding, many local leaders and decision-makers face a choice – provide only vital services to long-term residents and ignore certain emergency calls they determine to not be top priority or devote resources towards responding to a ballooning migrant population with no end in sight."

McCaul and Gallego stressed the importance of providing state and local agencies with the necessary resources to hire more police officers, firefighters, and emergency responders. They also called for funding to support equipment and overtime pay for the first responders already on the frontlines of the crisis.

The representatives urged Chairwoman Granger and Ranking Member DeLauro to include funding for critical programs in any supplemental appropriations for Fiscal Year 2024. They specifically mentioned Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS), Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants, Assistance to Firefighters Grants (AFG), and Emergency Operations Center (EOC) grants as potential areas for additional funding.

The request for increased funding comes as local officials, including police departments, fire departments, and Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs), face significant resource strains related to the migrant crisis. Despite being barred from directly enforcing immigration laws, first responders are handling a greater number of calls, including those related to organized criminal activity, loitering, trespassing, and emergency response.

The representatives' letter emphasized the need to alleviate the strain on resources and personnel to better assist taxpaying permanent residents. They called for additional resources to address the challenges faced by first responders in communities most impacted by the crisis at the border.

As the issue of immigration continues to be a pressing concern, the push for increased funding for first responders highlights the need to support those on the frontlines of the migrant crisis. The representatives' letter serves as a reminder of the challenges faced by local governments and the importance of providing the necessary resources to ensure the safety and well-being of communities affected by the ongoing situation at the southwest border.

For additional details, please follow this link: https://mccaul.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/mccaul-gallego-push-increased-funding-first-responders-impacted-migrant