Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, a Democrat-turned-independent, said Wednesday that she was "livid" about New York City receiving federal dollars for housing migrants.
During an event in Yuma, Arizona, Sinema explained that although the rest of the country was feeling the effects of the border crisis, Arizona and Texas were getting hit the hardest but receiving no help.
"What we're experiencing here in Arizona is matched only by what folks are experiencing in southern Texas," Sinema said. "Those are the two communities that are experiencing this crisis.
"The rest of the country is seeing some elements of it, but we are facing the brunt. And it is wrong and unfair that the ... money is going to places other than south Texas and south Arizona," she added.
Sinema is referring to $104.6 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) that New York City is set to receive to provide for, per estimates released Thursday, over 56,000 migrants that remain in its care.
The money comes from the Shelter and Services Program, which she contends is meant to support "decompression at the border" – something for which New York City does not qualify.
"The fact that a yeoman's amount of this money went to New York City, in my opinion, is wrong because they are not a border state, and they are not facing the kind of pressure that we are facing here," Sinema stressed. "I want you to know that I am continuing to fight this, and I am livid."
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, both Democrats from New York, initially announced the FEMA funding in a joint statement several months ago.
"There is more work ahead between both Houses of Congress that requires cooperation from and partnership with the GOP to produce the resources and policies our localities and state need to deal with this national issue," the pair wrote.
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