The push is on for more federal aid to help local communities deal with “high volumes of migrant arrivals,” as Bay State Congress members sound the alarm about the “severely inadequate” funding levels.
Congresswoman Lori Trahan on Monday co-led a group of House members who are asking for $3 billion in funding for FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program (SSP) — which provides funding to states and communities to support migrant arrivals.
The other Massachusetts Congress members who signed on to the letter to the Subcommittee on Homeland Security included Ayanna Pressley, Seth Moulton, Jim McGovern and Bill Keating. New York’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez also signed the letter.
“As you work to finalize the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 appropriations for Homeland Security, we strongly encourage you to prioritize critical funding to support the Shelter and Services Program (SSP),” the legislators wrote.
“Particularly, we ask you to include at least $3 billion for FEMA’s SSP account, to provide urgent resources to cities, states, and towns encountering high volumes of migrant arrivals,” they added.
This funding request comes months after the Massachusetts delegation wrote to FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security about the lack of federal funding going to non-border states that are facing a significant influx of migrants.
The lawmakers in Monday’s letter noted the immigration court backlog, which can force some migrants to wait up to 6 years for an initial hearing — as well as the 150-day work moratorium that has forced state and local governments to provide shelter and support services that can total tens of millions of dollars per month.
“Local communities across the country have stepped up to provide humanitarian support to those in need. In Woburn, Massachusetts local community leaders and school teachers worked to clothe and feed migrants,” the legislators wrote. “In Denver, one neighborhood Facebook mom’s group has grown to multiple parts of the city, helping migrant families with everything from clothing and food to transportation to various meetings and appointments.
“In Chicago volunteers ensured that over 100 migrants were rehoused before their shelter closed down,” they added. “However, without additional federal resources these communities and so many others can only do so much. There is a resounding need from cities and towns across the country for increased federal support to provide migrants with short term humanitarian services.”
This funding request comes after the bipartisan border deal failed in the Senate. That would have appropriated $1.4 billion in SSP dollars.
“However, the actual financial need far surpasses the $1.4 billion included in the border supplemental,” the legislators wrote. “Currently, individual cities themselves are needing billions to keep up with the growing demand, with mayors of affected cities requesting $5 billion in federal support. As this need continues to climb, it is clear that the current funding levels for SSP in FY24 Appropriations remain severely inadequate.”
