NGOs that helped house and feed migrants receive millions from FEMA

McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) — The Department of Homeland Security has distributed millions of dollars to nonprofits and communities that assist the migrants the agency releases, despite previous concerns about how some of those funds are being used.

DHS on Wednesday announced the allocation of over $380 million to various entities nationwide through the agency’s Shelter and Service Program. The program is administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

This includes almost $17 million to the Catholic Charities Archdiocese of San Antonio, which received over $10 million in a previous tranche of Shelter and Service funds released in April.

However, two lawmakers told Border Report when the first batch of Fiscal Year 2024 SSP funds were released that they questioned how Catholic Charities of San Antonio was spending the money and they were concerned with reports that airline tickets were being bought for migrants to travel to other U.S. cities with these funds.

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, who at the time was ranking member of the House Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, helped to set up this program. He told Border Report it was never intended to supply airline tickets for migrants to travel. The money is intended to reimburse non-governmental organizations and municipalities for food and shelter and toiletry expenses they incur housing asylum-seekers who cross the border, he said.

“When I first started this program, I said it would only be used for food and shelter, maybe transportation inside a city, but not to be sending them up there. The family or somebody should pay for that, not the taxpayer dollars,” Cuellar told Border Report in April.

U.S. Rep. Monica De La Cruz, a Republican from South Texas, also told Border Report these tax dollars were “not intended to be used to fly illegal immigrants all over their country to the destination of their choice.”

Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley received over $10 million in the latest FEMA Shelter and Service program funds. (Sandra Sanchez/Border Report File Photo)

In announcing the latest tranche of funds, DHS says this grant cycle “provides a new opportunity through a competitive program and builds on the support being provided to communities on the border and in the interior.”

Fifty nonprofits and municipalities and government entities were awarded funds in this latest round of Shelter and Services Program.

Other NGOs receiving funds announced Wednesday through Shelter and Services Program include:

$22 million to Jewish Family Service, San Diego
$21.6 million to Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego
$15.1 million to Border Servant Corps., of Doña Ana County, New Mexico
$8.7 million to Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley
$3 million to Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Laredo, Texas

Municipalities and government entities recipients include:

$22 million to New York City’s Office of Management and Budget
$19 million to the state of Arizona
$18 million to Pima County, Arizona
$16.6 million to El Paso County, Texas
$15.4 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
$12.6 million to the city and county of Denver, Colorado
$12.2 million to the city of Chicago
$8.5 million to the city of San Antonio
$7.5 million to the District of Columbia
$6.6 million to the city of Columbus, Ohio
$5.8 million to the city of Brownsville, Texas
$5.4 million to the city of Philadelphia
$3 million to the city of Laredo

Thousands of migrants have been transported to New York City through Texas’ Operation Lone Star border security initiative, with many left homeless on the streets of the busy city. Other places where migrants have been bused include Chicago, Denver and Washington, D.C.

“DHS directly supports communities that are providing critical support such as food, shelter, clothing, acute medical care, and transportation to noncitizens recently released from DHS custody and awaiting their immigration court proceedings. FEMA, in coordination with CBP, is administering these SSP grants with state, local and tribal governments as well as nongovernmental organizations to help prevent the overcrowding of short-term CBP holding facilities,” the agency said in a statement.

Catholic Charities of San Antonio President and CEO J. Antonio Fernandez previously told Border Report, “By securing these additional funds, we will be able to continue serving our brothers and sisters and their families who require care through selfless service under the sign of love.”

Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.