(LibertySociety.com) – Last week, the Biden administration announced it is providing $380 million to help local governments and nonprofits with the costs of caring for migrants after they’ve been released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) at the southern border. This money is being distributed through the DHS’s Shelter and Services Program (SSP). The funds will be used to provide food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and transportation for migrants as they wait for their immigration hearings.
This $380 million comes only four months after DHS awarded $259 million in grants through the same program, bringing the total funding for 2023 to almost $640 million. Last year, more than $780 million was given to cities and organizations facing the challenge of housing large numbers of migrants who can’t legally work. This ongoing influx has strained local services, with many cities using taxpayer money to house migrants in hotels or shelters.
In 2023, over 2.4 million migrants were encountered at the U.S. southern border, and this number may be surpassed in 2024, although DHS says the monthly numbers are dropping. The latest grant will be divided among 50 recipients, including both cities and nonprofits. The biggest amounts will go to places like New York City, which is receiving over $22 million, and Los Angeles, which is getting almost $22 million as well. Arizona, another state heavily impacted by migration, will receive $19.25 million.
Nonprofit organizations are also major beneficiaries. Jewish Family Service San Diego and Catholic Charities of San Diego are set to receive over $22 million and $21 million, respectively, while Catholic Charities in San Antonio, Texas, will get about $19 million.
While the funding will help, many local governments are still struggling with the financial impact of migration. In New York, officials estimate the migrant crisis could cost taxpayers $4.3 billion by 2025. Meanwhile, a report from the Federation for American Immigration Reform estimates that illegal immigration cost the U.S. over $150 billion in 2023 alone, after subtracting tax revenue from immigrants.
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