Pima County To Lease Part Of Juvenile Facility To Catholic Diocese For Migrants

$100 a year lease, taxpayers pick up the cost of renovations

pima county juvenile court
Pima County Juvenile Justice Center located at 2225 E. Ajo Way. [Photo provided by Pima County]

Pima County Administrator Chuck Huckelberry has tentatively agreed to lease an unused section of the county’s Juvenile Justice facility, to Catholic Community Services and other organizations for a mere $100 a year to house migrants seeking asylum.

Huckelberry was asked by Bishop Edward Weisenburger, in a July 3 letter to lease the facility to his organization.

According to a press release issued Monday, Huckelberry “has given county staff approval to begin drafting a lease and preparing the vacant facility for use. He also notified the Board of Supervisors of the Bishop’s request, noting that CCS needs to begin operating the facility before the next scheduled Board meeting Aug. 6. The board must vote on the lease before it can be executed.

DID YOU KNOW: In 2016, “figures available on the USASpending.gov website show the USCCB (United States Conference of Catholic Bishops) garnering more than $91 million for refugee resettlement programs, more than $202 million going to Catholic Charities, which also serves refugees, and the Boston-based ICMC (International Catholic Migration Commission) getting more than $17 million in government funds stipulated entirely for U.S. refugee resettlement, according to Lifesitenews.com

The move is necessary due to the fact that Catholic Community Services has been aiding the asylum seekers at the Benedictine Monastery, but the owner of the Monastery is redeveloping it and forcing CCS to vacate the building by July 26.

According to the county, “the Department of Homeland Security, after briefly processing the asylum seekers at DHS border facilities, has been releasing them in numerous cities near the border, including Tucson and Phoenix. Catholic Community Services and other community partners have provided aid to nearly 10,000 people since the fall of 2018.”

Several sections of the juvenile detention facility that is connected the Juvenile Court have been vacant or repurposed into counseling and education centers for juvenile offenders, according to the press release.

In his letter, Huckelberry writes, “The County will provide building maintenance, operating, utility, food and laundry costs and will seek reimbursement from the Federal government through humanitarian aid grants and programs.”

According to sources, the county has used the detention facility to provide services to the migrants for months.

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