North Pima News

Arizona Rep. Justin Heap criticized Arizona House Democrats for frequently discussing the housing crisis without addressing its connection to the border crisis. He pointed out that tens of thousands of illegal immigrants cross the Arizona border monthly, exacerbating the housing crisis.

Heap stated, "Arizona House Democrats have been beating the drum on the Housing Crisis all session. Not one Democrat has mentioned the Border Crisis as a major factor in the lack of housing." He emphasized that the influx of illegal immigrants into the state is a significant contributor to the shortage of affordable housing.

Heap highlighted the staggering numbers of illegal border crossings in Arizona, stating, "30,000-50,000 illegal immigrants cross into Arizona every month. Many of them remain in Arizona indefinitely, and those people take up housing units, reducing the supply of available units and driving up the cost of rents and home ownership."

The recent surge in unauthorized border crossings has cast doubt on the effectiveness of the Biden Administration's border control policies. In the current month alone, there have been 140,000 illegal migrant crossings, marking a 60% increase from the figures reported in July. If this trend persists for the rest of the month, it is anticipated that there will be 210,000 migrant apprehensions, reaching the highest level since the spring of 2022, according to CBS News.

Major dissatisfaction prevails over the current border situation, as lawmakers consistently voice concerns about inadequate border control, human and drug smuggling concerns, and cartels. In July, the most significant surge in unauthorized border crossings took place within the Tucson, Arizona sector, where Border Patrol reported a record-breaking number of almost 40,000 apprehensions.

The housing crisis in Arizona has been a growing issue in recent years, with a significant rise in homelessness of over 20%. More than 13,000 individuals in the state lack shelter due to a shortage of available beds in homeless shelters. This situation, often referred to as the Housing Crisis, stems from a shortage of affordable housing in Arizona, exacerbated by the growing population, according to AZ Central.

Democratic Representative Analise Ortiz acknowledged the affordable housing crisis and the overwhelming pressure on downtown Phoenix shelters. She stated, "The fact is, with an ongoing affordable housing crisis and more than 28,000 Arizonans falling in and out of homelessness this year, the downtown Phoenix shelters are overwhelmed."

Heap's criticism highlights the need for a comprehensive approach to address the housing crisis in Arizona, taking into account the impact of the border crisis on the availability and affordability of housing.