Napolitano declares emergency, OKs funding for border
Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano declared an emergency Monday in four border counties because of problems related to lax border enforcement and moved to provide local governments in those counties with up to $1.5 million in state funding.
Napolitano's order directly released $200,000 from the state's emergency fund for disasters while her emergency council released an additional $1.3 million, spokeswoman Jeanine L'Ecuyer said.
The money is intended for use by counties and municipalities for a variety of purposes, including overtime pay for law enforcement officers, repairs of border fences, costs related to illegal immigrants' deaths, L'Ecuyer said.
Napolitano's action followed by three days a similar declaration by New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson....
"All of this, bottom line every last bit of this, is a federal responsibility but the federal government has not done what it needs to do and has promised to do," said L'Ecuyer. She added that the actual damage and the level of frustration compelled Napolitano to act....
"It's Janet come lately," said Rep. Russell Pearce of Mesa. "She should have done it months ago. She should have done it two years ago."...
Napolitano drew criticism earlier this year for vetoing a proposal to give state and local police authority to enforce federal immigration law. She said the bill didn't provide any money to carry out the duties....
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