WASHINGTON — Though we’re hundreds of miles from the southern border, D.C. is bracing for the impact of Title 42’s end — and an expected influx of migrants seeking refuge in the United States.
So how are we footing the bill?
THE QUESTION:
Is Washington, D.C. getting any federal financial support to help accommodate these new arrivals?
THE SOURCES:
- The Federal Emergency Management Agency's Emergency Food and Shelter Program
- United Way - National Capital Area
THE ANSWER:
Yes, more than $11 million in a recently announced allocation from FEMA.
WHAT WE FOUND:
Thursday morning, another bus from Texas of dozens people looking for a better life in the United States were dropped off and left looking for what to do next.
This isn’t the first time – and with the changes to border policy coming tonight, it’s expected to happen much more frequently.
This month, FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter Program announced more than $332 million in funds allocated to communities “receiving noncitizens released from custody as they await the outcome of their immigration proceedings."
United Way - National Capital Area is set to receive more than $4.2 million of that, which the organization tells us will go to the nonprofit partner SAMU First Response to put to use on the ground.
District of Columbia Department of Human Services is getting more than $7.2 million from FEMA.
Wednesday, the DC DHS didn’t respond to our request for more information on the plan for that money.
The local Migrant Solidarity Mutual Aid Network, who we have seen working with new migrant arrivals on the ground for months, tells us they are not getting any funding from the federal or local government, relying on hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations, but pushing District government to do more.
"We will do our best to continue to support migrants arriving in D.C. but we don't have the resources to house dozens of families who are soon to be unhoused in the District," said a spokesperson via email. "Our question to leadership is -- are you really OK with children sleeping on the streets?"
This week, Mayor Muriel Bowser told reporters that D.C. doesn’t have capacity for more migrant families in its shelters.
“A lot of those advocates have invited people to come stay with them and we’re telling those advocates as well, we have limited space and we hit those numbers in the last week for limitations in the District," said Bowser, who contends it’s a federal issue.