WASHINGTON - Today, the Emergency Food and Shelter Program’s National Board announced the allocation of $332.5 million to assist communities receiving noncitizens released from custody as they await the outcome of their immigration proceedings. This allocation, through the Emergency Food and Shelter Program-Humanitarian (EFSP-H) program, will go to 35 local governments and service organizations. This is just one component of DHS’s comprehensive, multi-agency plan to manage increased encounters at the Southern Border and support communities when the Title 42 public health Order lifts.
This first round of funding was focused primarily on the needs of border communities due to the urgencies they are confronting. Several interior cities also received funding. The City of New York received the most of any interior city by a significant margin given its challenges. Later this Fiscal Year, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will award approximately $360 million in additional funds through the new Shelter and Services Grant Program. Absent a change of circumstances, this next round of funding will be focused on the needs of interior cities, in addition to border communities. It is anticipated that New York will again receive a significant share in that round.
This funding is made available through the bipartisan Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 signed into law by President Biden on Dec. 29, 2022. From that funding, $350 million was awarded to the EFSP National Board for humanitarian assistance, of which up to 5% is reserved for administrative costs.
Funding allocated through the program is intended as supplemental funding to support service organizations, and state and local governments addressing emergency needs of migrants encountered by DHS at the Southwest Border and released from custody pending their immigration proceedings. This money is in addition to $75 million awarded by the National Board in December 2022. Due to the significant demand for the limited funds from this competitive grant program, the Board was unable to fully fund all eligible applications.
Future support for emergency migrant care will be supported by the newly created Shelter and Services Program, which has about $360 million to grant before the end of the Fiscal Year. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), in coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), will administer grants or cooperative agreements with state, local, and tribal governments as well as nongovernmental organizations. That program will also help support communities in managing migrant processing and preventing the overcrowding of short-term CBP holding facilities. More information about the new program is available here.
The Emergency Food and Shelter Program is governed by an independent National Board comprised of representatives from the American Red Cross, the United Way Worldwide, and four religious charitable organizations. The Board is chaired by a representative of FEMA. The National Board must complete substantial reviews of all applications for reimbursement and advance funding to ensure eligibility and accuracy before making award decisions.