Bishop Edward J. Weisenburger | Diocese of Tucson website

Support services at Casa Alitas in Tucson will continue thanks to renewed federal funding of $650 million, as part of the bipartisan appropriations legislation for the US Customs and Border Protection Shelter and Services program. Local leaders had expected to scale down operations but with the additional funding, operations can now continue until at least June 30, 2024.

Elena Dwyre, the CEO of Catholic Community Services, expressed gratitude for the federal funding, stating, “We are grateful that Congress acted to approve this funding, and we are ready to continue helping those who need us the most. Even so, additional support is needed to maintain Casa Alitas after July 1.” Dwyre mentioned that CCS will apply for a second phase of funding when it becomes available.

Casa Alitas, operating under Catholic Community Services, has been supporting migrants since 2014 and expanded its mission in 2019 to assist thousands of migrants in Southern Arizona. Over the years, the organization has helped more than 420,000 people from various countries.

Most migrants at Casa Alitas spend less than 48 hours there, as mentioned by Elena Dwyre. The current cost of sheltering migrants in Pima County exceeds $1 million per week, with the federal government releasing funding to the State of Arizona for distribution to Pima County and its subrecipient, Casa Alitas.

Meanwhile, in Douglas, Father Jojo Tabo of Saint Luke’s Catholic Church announced the end of support services for migrants, citing sustainability issues. Operations at the church hall will cease in mid-April, but the City of Douglas plans to continue services at its visitor center.

Catholic Community Services collaborates with more than a dozen organizations and welcomes donations to support its mission through their website.

For more information on how to contribute, visit https://www.ccs-soaz.org/donate/form or https://www.ccs-soaz.org/.