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County looking to renew immigrant transport contract


Tomorrow, Uvalde County Commissioners will discuss renewing an ongoing interlocal agreement with Southwest Area Regional Transit District to provide transportation services to undocumented immigrants should the U.S. Border Patrol again begin releasing them in Uvalde.

Uvalde County Judge Bill Mitchell said no immigrants are currently being released in Uvalde, but groups are being released in other border towns and he wants Uvalde County to be proactive.

“We wanted to have this as a tool in our toolbox, in case they did release them, just in case it should happen,” Mitchell said.

Commissioners will meet at 10 a.m. via Zoom and the meeting will be broadcast on YouTube at tinyurl.com/UCC0810. Contact information will be given at the beginning of the meeting for any citizens who wish to speak.

The city and county of Uvalde entered into an interlocal agreement with SWART on May 17, 2019, which is still in effect.

Individuals affected by the agreement were typically transported to San Antonio, and the county plans to continue this practice as before if the USBP begins releasing immigrants in Uvalde.

Though the city and county paid for some transport in 2019, they eventually contracted with a private busing service and required immigrants to fund their own transport costs.

Via the SWART agreement, the cost per vehicle, round trip, is $278 on Monday through Friday. The Saturday service cost, per the interlocal agreement, is $337, and Sunday and holiday transport is $373.

Also during the meeting, commissioners will also acknowledge receipt of federal 2021 American Rescue Plan Act funds.