ESPAILLAT, NORTON, GARCÍA WRITE APPROPRIATIONS SUBCOMMITTEE ON HOMELAND SECURITY TO REQUEST $50 MILLION IN ASSISTANCE FOR MIGRANTS BUSED TO NEW YORK CITY, D.C., AND CHICAGO

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Adriano Espaillat (D-NY), Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), and Congressman Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL), sent a letter, signed by 20 other members of Congress, today to Chairwoman Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA) and Ranking Member Chuck Fleischmann (R-TN) of the House Subcommittee on Homeland Security Committee on Appropriations requesting that the upcoming fiscal year 2023 (FY23) continuing resolution (CR) provide $50 million above the enacted fiscal year 2022 (FY22) level to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) for humanitarian assistance to migrants.

“As Texas Governor Greg Abbott continues to play political games with thousands of migrant lives, our response must be swift and robust to ensure that sanctuary cities have adequate resources to provide humanitarian assistance for displaced individuals seeking asylum here in our nation,” said Espaillat. “When thousands of migrants began to arrive to New York City, we welcomed them with open arms and connected them to viable resources. Our request for this emergency funding will be put to even greater use in helping bolster programs vital in our efforts in providing aid and assistance for the vulnerable individuals and families seeking our support at this critical moment.”

“In a cynical political stunt which has exploited both vulnerable migrants and D.C., the governors of Texas and Arizona have bused thousands of migrants to D.C., Chicago and New York City in the last several months,” Norton said. “I introduced a bill to provide $50 million in assistance for D.C. to aid the migrants in the current fiscal year, and Rep. García, Rep. Espaillat and I are now requesting an additional $50 million for fiscal year 2023. The funds will be used to provide humanitarian aid through the EFSP program.”

“Playing politics with the lives of these immigrants is dehumanizing and cruel, but not unexpected from the xenophobic, fear-mongering politics of Governor Abbot,” said García. While Chicago remains committed to welcoming these new arrivals, we must ensure their food, shelter and other basic needs are covered. The arrival of these migrants at the border underscores the urgent need to address the root causes of migration and how U.S. policies have contributed to the problem. In the meantime, we must focus on assisting these women, men and children as they arrive in our cities.”

The full letter follows.

September 9, 2022

Dear Chair Roybal-Allard and Ranking Member Fleischmann:

As negotiations begin on the first fiscal year (FY) 2023 continuing resolution, we write to request that the bill provide $50 million above the enacted FY2022 level to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) for humanitarian assistance to migrants.

Since mid-April, the governors of Texas and Arizona have exploited and harmed approximately 10,000 vulnerable people fleeing desperate and dangerous situations in their home countries for political gain by busing them to D.C., New York City and Chicago.

The EFSP provides federal funding for food, shelter and other necessities. In FY 2022, Congress provided $150 million to this program for humanitarian assistance for migrants. As of July 21, 2022, approximately $85 million of this funding remained available. However, the busing of migrants to D.C., New York City and Chicago and resettlement in cities like Boston has increased funding requests across the Northeast and the Midwest. Without additional funding, the EFSP may exhaust its funding.

This funding would ensure that the EFSP can continue to provide humanitarian assistance to meet the needs of all migrants.

Sincerely,

# # #