Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) announced on Friday that her government would continue busing migrants out of the state. According to Red State, Hobbs claimed that her plan to transport migrants out of state would focus on getting them to the U.S. cities where their sponsors live.
Busing Of Illegal Aliens Is Continuing Under Gov. Katie Hobbs https://t.co/mOKGWvqboO
— Ben Owen🇺🇸 (@hrkbenowen) January 18, 2023
In a press conference, claimed that the busing program would provide value to overwhelmed Arizona border communities as well as help the migrants get to their destination.
“It’s something that provides support to those local communities,” Hobbs said. “If we’re spending money to bus people, why not just get them to their final destination?”
Arizona press secretary Josselyn Berry released a statement saying Hobb’s administration is taking a different approach from former Republican Gov. Doug Ducey.
“We’re sending migrants to cities they actually need to go to and be connected with their sponsors, and we are doing it in a more cost-effective way by looking at all travel options, not just buses,” Berry said.
Ducey began busing migrants out of the state last May to much condemnation from President Joe Biden’s White House. However, the state, under Hobbs, set aside $15 million from its budget this year to continue the program, which is estimated to cost $1 million per month.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs to Continue Busing Migrants out of State https://t.co/ak5wa1eNn3 BUILD THE WALL! The money spent on transporting illegals should go to schools and social services for citizens.
— Lu Lu (@LuLu10763055) January 23, 2023
Hobbs’s decision to continue the busing program comes as a surprise as she vowed in November 2022 to end the program. Hobbs told ABC 15 Arizona that Ducey started the program as a political stunt.
“It is not providing any real solutions for Arizona or for these migrants,” Hobbs said. “Again, wasting taxpayer dollars and playing politics with people’s lives.”
Arizona’s Yuma County Supervisor Jonathan Lines, who first confirmed the news to the Daily Caller News Foundation on Tuesday, said he was thankful for the busing effort regardless of where it was coming from.
NEW from me: Busing Of Illegal Migrants Is Continuing Under Newly-Elected Dem Gov. Katie Hobbs
”I’m thankful for the support regardless of where it comes from,” Yuma County Supervisor @JWLines says. @DailyCaller https://t.co/SZtIs0JWWA
— Jennie Taer (@JennieSTaer) January 17, 2023
Hobbs’s decision comes after her Democrat colleagues El Paso Mayor Oscar Leeser and Colorado Gov. Jared Polis introduced migrant busing programs.
