Congressman Dan Goldman Calls for $800 Million for Communities Caring for Migrants and Asylum Seekers
Shelter and Service Program Funding Will Ensure Families Receive Lifesaving Resources
Funding Would Assist NYC in Providing Support for Over 30,000 Asylum Seekers
Read Letter Here
Washington, D.C. - Last week, Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10) and Congresswoman Veronica Escobar (TX-16) led a group of 25 Representatives in calling for $800 million in funding for the newly established Shelter and Services Program (SSP) in the FY24 federal budget. The Shelter and Services Program provides communities with much-needed funding to deliver lifesaving resources to migrants, including food, shelter, and transportation. Increased funding for the SSP would transform the ability of states and local governments to welcome and support incoming asylum seekers.
“New York has welcomed with open arms tens of thousands of migrants bused to our city as political pawns,” Congressman Dan Goldman said. “In doing so, the City on its own has shouldered the expense of hundreds of millions of dollars. The federal government must act to offset these costs, which is why we must tap into the Shelter and Services Program that provides $800 million in funding to take some of the burden off of communities that are putting in the work.”
More than 50,000 asylum seekers have arrived in New York City since last spring, with more than 30,000 currently in the city’s care.
Created following a historic year of asylum seeker arrivals to the United States, the Shelter and Services Program was created to give communities direct assistance through grants, rather than subjecting them to a lengthy reimbursement process. This would allow asylum seekers to receive vital services and resources quickly and reduce the heavy burden on their new communities. Through direct grant assistance, state agencies and nonprofits will be able to better plan for securing and maintaining shelter space, providing orientation services, and arranging transportation – creating a vastly superior alternative to having them submit reimbursement requests and waiting for funds.
As the country prepares for the end of the Public Health Emergency and the wind down of Title 42, migrant arrivals are expected to increase. Funding for the SSP will become increasingly crucial for communities like New York hosting asylum seekers.
Congressman Dan Goldman is committed to ensuring that the United States remains safe and welcoming for immigrants from various walks of life.
Last month, Congressman Goldman urged the Biden Administration maintain their commitment to not pursue Trump-era family detention policy.
The Congressman has also led the fight to protect unaccompanied migrant children from child labor exploitation and ensure that they have the resources needed to navigate the immigration system through the creation of a children’s docket.
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