The federal government is providing $380 million in support to communities that advocate for immigrants recently released from Border Patrol custody.
This is the latest wave of funding, following more than $259 million allocated in April through the Department of Homeland Security’s Shelter and Services Program (SSP), and more than $780 million was distributed in 2023,
The DHS stated that the demand for this program is so great that not all requests from groups and communities can be granted.
“This grant cycle provides a new opportunity through a competitive program and builds on the support provided to communities along the border and in the interior,” DHS said in a press release Wednesday.
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The money is used by organizations that provide migrants with food, shelter and clothing, as well as medical care and transportation.
Previous recipients of the funds include counties such as Pima County in Arizona, which received $21.8 million, as well as smaller church organizations with grants of around $10,000.
States along the border and elsewhere have received grants before. In the latest round, more than 30 Texas organizations and local governments received money.
FEMA expects dozens of projects to receive grants by the time the program is completed in September 2026.
Community organizations and county authorities often bear the costs of admitting noncitizens, particularly when they are released from Customs and Border Protection custody at the southwest border.
Those awaiting immigration or asylum hearings may have very few personal belongings or resources to pay for services. SSP is designed to ensure a “humane” release from detention for these new arrivals.
In October 2023, mayors across the United States declared an urgent need for additional funding for communities serving migrants.
“We are mayors from cities across America – cities on or near the border and cities in other parts of the country where migrants, including those awaiting asylum, have come,” the 139 mayors said in a joint letter to Congress.
“We welcome migrants to our cities, but we need more help to provide them with food, shelter, services and access to jobs,” the group continued. “In many of our cities, both city authorities and local nonprofits are overwhelmed; they simply cannot provide this basic assistance to migrants.”
There were a lot of border crossings at the time, but DHS said Wednesday that numbers have dropped significantly in recent months, possibly indicating a decline in demand in the coming months.
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