FEMA to award $350M in assistance for noncitizen arrivals through Emergency Food and Shelter Program

In a bid to help local communities manage the costs of noncitizen arrivals in their area, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will award $350 million through the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP-H).

Allocated under the humanitarian assistance portion of the program, as provided through the Bipartisan Year-End Omnibus funding approved in December 2022, the announcement of these funds came ahead of an official Notice of Funding Opportunity. It represents a sizable chunk of the $800 million in funding the Omnibus directed Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to transfer to FEMA to establish the Shelter and Services Program (SSP) and get efforts underway.

“With today’s funding of $350 million for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, DHS is delivering on our commitment to provide needed support to communities across the country that receive noncitizens who are in immigration enforcement proceedings,” Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said. “At the same time, we are working to quickly stand up the new Shelter and Services Program created by Congress and look forward to awarding funds through this important new program later this fiscal year.”

Funding awarded through this opportunity will benefit localities and non-governmental organizations that assist screened and vetted noncitizens provisionally released from DHS custody ahead of the outcomes of immigration court proceedings. This will help those organizations to fund costs associated with this and will be in addition to the $75 million awarded through EFSP-H during the Continuing Resolution.

Applications will begin after the EFSP’s governing National Board receives the funds. It will also host webinars for potential applicants explaining how to proceed. That body will also ultimately make any award determinations. In the meantime, those interested have been encouraged to review the Continuing Resolution 2023 Guidance for eligibility.