OF THAT.

>> WE HAD LEAVE IT THERE, SENATOR RON JOHNSON.

THANKS VERY MUCH.

>> HAVE A GOOD DAY.

>> TAMMY BALDWIN WAS UNABLE TO JOIN US THIS WEEK IN SUPPORT OF THE BORDER SECURITY BILL, SHE SAID, QUOTE, THIS BIPARTISAN COMPROMISE WAS A PROMISING OPPORTUNITY TO INVEST IN HIGH TECH BORDER SECURITY, DISRUPT THE DEADLY FLOW OF FENTANYL INTO OUR COUNTRY, STREAMLINE OUR ASYLUM PROCESS AND ENSURE WISCONSIN COMMUNITIES RECEIVING MIGRANTS HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED.

WEEK, WE HEARD FROM CITY OFFICIALS IN WHITEWATER WHO HOPE THE STATE GOVERNMENT WILL SOON ALLOW MIGRANTS TO EARN A DRIVER'S LICENSE.

THIS WEEK, WE TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS DOING TO SUPPORT THE NEWCOMERS AND WHAT OTHER SUPPORT THE CITY MIGHT NEED.

>> IT'S ANOTHER GENERATION OF FAMILIES COMING HERE TRYING TO GET JOBS, FEED THEIR CHILDREN, GET THEIR CHILDREN THROUGH SCHOOL.

>> CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATES ASSUME ABOUT 800 TO A THOUSAND MIGRANTS FROM CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA HAVE COME TO WHITEWATER SINCE 2022, STRAINING LOCAL RESOURCES.

>> WE'RE TRYING OUR BEST.

>> Reporter: SOME OF THE MOST VULNERABLE IN THAT POPULATION ARE CHILDREN.

>> TO REALLY, HOW CAN WE ADVOCATE FOR THESE CHILDREN.

>> Reporter: MIGUEL ARANDA IS A MEMBER OF THE WHITEWATER SCHOOL BOARD AND A SECOND GENERATION IMMIGRANT FROM MEXICO.

FUNDING FOR RESOURCES TO MAKE IT A SMOOTH TRANSITION FOR A LOT OF THESE FAMILIES AND THEIR CHILDREN, THAT'S WHAT I'M GOING TO CONTINUE ADVOCATING FOR.

>> Reporter: WITH THIS NEW INFLUX OF STUDENTS, ARANDA DA SAYS THE SCHOOL DISTRICT NEEDS MORE FUNDING.

WISCONSIN CURRENTLY SITS ON A $3 BILLION BUDGET SURPLUS.

>> COMING FROM THIS STATE, I WOULD UNDERSTAND IF THERE'S NO MONEY, WE HAVE TO MAKE OUR DECISIONS, BUT TO KNOW THAT THERE'S A SURPLUS, IT ALMOST LOOKS LIKE THE MONEY IS BEING DWINDLED RIGHT IN FRONT OF OUR FACES.

PLACES IN WHITEWATER THAT HAVE ACTED AS A STOPGAP TO HELP THE NEW ARRIVALS.

>> OUR MISSION IS TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COMMUNITY, WHATEVER THEY ARE.

>> Reporter: CHRISTINE AND KAY ARE CO FOUNDERS OF THE COMMUNITY SPACE IN WHITEWATER.

THEIR MISSION IS TO PROVIDE EVERYTHING A PERSON MIGHT NEED, FROM BEDDING TO FURNITURE TO FOOD, ALL FOR FREE.

>> IF THEY'VE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE AND THEY COME IN AND SEE ALL OF THESE THINGS AND WE TELL THEM THAT THEY CAN JUST HAVE IT, THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND.

>> I HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WITNESSING SOMEBODY COMING IN, MAYBE HAVING THEIR WORST DAY AND COMING IN AND JUST NEEDING SOME SUPPORT, SOME FOOD, SOME WHATEVER, AND SEEING THEM SLOWLY RELAX AND REALIZE WE'RE NOT GOING TO ASK THEM FOR ANY PAPERS.

ABLE TO, YOU KNOW, LET US KNOW WHAT THEIR LIFE WAS LIKE.

>> THE COMMUNITY SPACE HAS BEEN ACCEPTING DONATIONS SINCE 2019, BUT HAS RAMPED UP ITS EFFORTS IN THE LAST TWO YEARS.

>> I'D CERTAINLY LIKE TO SAY THAT THERE HAS BEEN NO CRISIS.

HAVE WE HAD TO STRETCH AND ADJUST?

ABSOLUTELY.

BUT THERE IS NO CRISIS.

>> WE'VE GOTTEN SO WE CAN COMMUNITY PRETTY WELL.

WE USE OUR PHONES AND THEY WILL ALSO REACH FOR THEIR PHONE TRANSLATOR.

WEDNESDAY NIGHTS AND SATURDAYS AS A COMPLEMENT TO THE LOCAL FOOD PANTRY.

>> I CAN STAND UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROOM AND SAY IS THERE ANYONE HERE THAT'S BILINGUAL?

AND INEVITABLY, I'LL GET A 9-YEAR-OLD CHILD, WHICH IS AWESOME, AND I ALWAYS SAY TO THE CHILD, YOU KNOW, ISN'T YOUR MOTHER PROUD OF YOU?

TELL HER WE'RE PROUD OF YOU.

>> WE LIKE TO THINK HALF OF WHAT WE DO IS SHARE AND GIVE AWAY AND THE OTHER HALF IS HOW WE MAKE PEOPLE FEEL.

>> CITY OFFICIALS ARE ALSO LOOKING TO GET HELP FOR THE NEWCOMERS.

HERE IS THAT WE KNOW WE NEED RESOURCES.

POLICE IN WHITEWATER.

>> THIS IS APOLITICAL.

WE HAVE NO DOG IN THAT FIGHT.

WE SIMPLY NEED MORE STAFFING.

>> HE SAYS OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS, HIS DEPARTMENT'S WORK HAS GOTTEN MUCH MORE DIFFICULT AND TIME-CONSUMING.

BEEN DIFFICULT FOR US AS LAW ENFORCEMENT IS JUST WORKING WITH A POPULATION THAT, GENERALLY SPEAKING, IS NOT TRUSTING OF GOVERNMENT BECAUSE THEY COME FROM A PLACE WHERE THEY DON'T TRUST THEIR GOVERNMENT.

>> TO TRY AND GET SOME HELP FOR THE CITY, MEYER AND CITY OFFICIALS SENT A LETTER TO STATE AND FEDERAL OFFICIALS IN DECEMBER.

>> WE NEED MORE OFFICERS SO THAT WE CAN GET OUT AND PATROL AT THE LEVEL THAT THE COMMUNITY IS USED TO HAVING US OUT THERE.

>> BUT THE LETTER REQUESTED MORE THAN JUST A BOOST IN LAW ENFORCEMENT FUNDING.

>> THIS IS A SITUATION WHERE WE ARE A POOR DOWN THAT HAS LIMITED RESOURCES AND NOT ENOUGH SHARED REVENUE FROM THE STATE AND WE WOULD LIKE TO HELP PEOPLE MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE GETTING JOBS, YOU KNOW, SHELTER, FOOD, ALL THOSE THINGS.

>> BRIENNE BROWN IS A MEMBER OF THE WHITEWATER COMMON COUNCIL.

>> WE NEED THE LARGER PICTURE TO BE IF CONVI FOCUSED ON.

THE CITY IN THE PREPARED.

>> MEYER AND BROWN SAY THEY HAVE HEARD FROM LOCAL OFFICIALS WHO SEEM WILLING TO HELP, PLUS WISCONSIN SENATOR TAMMY BALDWIN PLANS TO SEE WHAT SHE CAN DO TO HELP BY VISITING SOON.

RON JOHNSON VISITED WITH CITY OFFICIALS BACK IN NOVEMBER.

>> SO OBVIOUSLY, PRESIDENT BIDEN, DEMOCRATS DO NOT WANT A SECURED BORDER.

>> Reporter: JOHNSON BLAMED WHAT HE CALLED A FLOOD OF MIGRANTS IN WHITEWATER ON THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION.

BUT WHILE CITY OFFICIALS LOOK WHEREVER THEY CAN FOR RESOURCES, IMMIGRANT ADVOCATES SAY THE NEW ARRIVALS SHOULD NOT BECOME POLITICAL SCAPEGOATS.

>> THERE'S A REASON WHY WE ARE HERE.

I DON'T HAVE ANY PLANS OF LEAVING WISCONSIN.

>> IT'S REALLY CONTRIBUTING TO THE VITALITY IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THE VITALITY IN OUR COMMUNITY.