Department of Homeland Security Announces $300 Million in Direct Funding to Communities Receiving Migrants and $340 Million for a New Competitive Awards Process

DHS continues to provide unprecedented resources to support border & interior communities while calling on Congress to act

WASHINGTON -- Today, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), through FEMA and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), announced $300 million in grants through the Shelter and Services Program (SSP), which was authorized by Congress to support communities that are providing services to migrants. Two hundred seventy-five million dollars will be distributed in the first allocation, and the remaining $25 million will be allocated later in the year to accommodate evolving operational requirements. The initial funding will be available to 55 grant recipients for temporary shelter and other eligible costs associated with migrants awaiting the outcome of their immigration proceedings. Additionally, DHS is announcing $340.9 million through the Shelter and Services Program-Competitive grant program to be allocated before the end of this fiscal year.   

Today’s announcement responds to feedback from recipients in terms of providing additional flexibilities and an opportunity for new recipients through the competitive program, while continuing to require budget submissions and review prior to releasing funds, which is standard practice at FEMA. It also builds on the support being provided to communities on the border and in the interior. Last year, more than $780 million was awarded through SSP and the Emergency Food and Shelter Program – Humanitarian Awards (EFSP-H), which went to organizations and cities across the country. DHS also works to streamline and improve access to work permits for eligible noncitizens, including through the announcement last week of a temporary final rule to increase the automatic extension period for certain employment authorization documents to prevent a lapse for work-authorized individuals to be in the workforce, supporting local economies.  

DHS efforts to manage and secure our borders in a safe orderly and humane way include support for communities, as well as strengthened consequences for those without a lawful basis to remain and an expansion of lawful pathways that have helped reduce the number of encounters from specific populations. From May 12, 2023 to April 3, 2024, DHS has removed or returned more than 660,000 individuals, the vast majority of whom crossed the southwest border, including more than 102,000 individual family members. The majority of all individuals encountered at the southwest border over the past three years have been removed, returned or expelled. Total removals and returns since mid-May exceed removals and returns in every full fiscal year since 2011.   

Due to the substantial demand that exceeds the limited SSP program funding authorized by Congress, not all requests can be fulfilled. DHS continues to call on Congress to pass the bipartisan border security agreement, which would in part provide an additional $1.4 billion in SSP funds; and provide additional needed tools and resources to respond to historic global migration.

For more information on the Shelter and Services Program, visit www.fema.gov/grants/preparedness/shelter-services-program.