Fronteras

Pima County again approved funding Tuesday for a program that provides water stations for migrants along the Arizona-Mexico border. 

Tucson-based Humane Borders is a nonprofit that deploys water stations along desert routes commonly traveled by migrants. The Pima County Board of Supervisors has $22,500 in support of the program. Supervisor Richard Elias voted in favor of the funding.

“Every one of those autopsies we have to conduct for a migrant that dies in the desert, costs us over $1,500 to complete. In the years when we've had heavy traffic, that's been a significant cost to the county as well,” he said.

Elias said that staff from Human Borders did refer to the increase in child migrants being apprehended or turning themselves in at the border. Many of the children are fleeing drug violence and coming to reunite with family members.

By the end of 2014 the numbers of unaccompanied minors are expected to be more than double what they were last year. Most of the children are from the Central American countries of El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. 

Funding for the water stations has been controversial. Supervisor Ally Miller voted against it. A spokesperson from her office said Miller received confirmation from a Humane Borders staff member last year that coyotes, or guides for migrants who sometimes traffic humans and drugs, and have shot holes in the water tanks to keep migrants dependent upon them.

Miller said she thinks a better solution would be installing phones on the desert beacons that connect to emergency services.