On Thursday afternoon, San Luis Mayor Nieves Riedel signed a proclamation and a declaration of emergency due to the humanitarian and health crisis happening along the U.S. and Mexico Border.
According to officials, with the mass migrant gatherings at the US-Mexico Border and with Title 42 of the Federal Public Health Service Act suspension to end on December 21, 2022, a forty percent increase in migration is projected. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported a high community risk of contracting COVID-19 in Yuma County. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) and influenza also circulate in the community, causing increased risks to public health.
The resulting conditions are beyond the capacity and control of the personnel, equipment, and facilities of the San Luis Police Department and the San Luis Fire Department, according to the mayor’s press release.
The number of migrants has already strained humanitarian services provided locally by non-profits, health services, and other governmental agencies.
“The safety and health of my community remain my main priority,” stated Riedel. “With limited resources, our residents need to be cared for first,” she concluded.