Sheriff: ICE Forced to Quick-Release Migrant Families in Arizona

ICE told Arizona Sheriffs it has run out of detention space to handle the number of migrants illegally crossing the border and presenting themselves at ports of entry. This lack of housing and the Flores Settlement’s 20-day release requirement forced ICE to release a large number of “family units” in Arizona all at once.

Yuma County Sheriff Leon Wilmot told Fox News, “ICE hasn’t been able to keep up with individuals coming up the border from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador, because they’re overwhelmed. They’re releasing them out of the front door of their facilities…Each of our communities are going to be faced with this crisis and one thing sheriffs have said is that what goes on on the border won’t stay at the border, it’s throughout the U.S.”

As of October 15th, ICE began releasing family units without approved “post-release plans.” Such plans normally include a notice to appear (NTA) at an adjudication hearing and travel support for linking up with any relatives already in the country. But due to the uptick in numbers, family units are being released with just a NTA. That means those without financial means are forced to stay in the community of release.

ICE released about 800 family members in Arizona last week and 200 in Yuma alone. With a population just over 200,000, Yuma has far fewer services to assist the families. Those released to Phoenix and Tucson typically find more help but the large numbers strained their ability to cope.

The large Arizona release comes amid new concerns about a caravan of over 4,000 migrants making its way to the U.S. border. President Trump today warned he will use the U.S. military to “close our southern border” if Mexican officials don’t stop the northward push of the caravan.

Read more at FOX News.