Gallego Pushes House Appropriations Committee to Support Arizona Border Communities
In a letter, Rep. Gallego requests an increase in funding to support FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program
WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Ruben Gallego (AZ-03) sent a letter to leaders of the House Appropriations Committee and House Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, pushing the appropriators to increase funding and revise the formula for the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Shelter and Services Program (SSP) — the funding program Arizona border communities rely on to address migrant crossings.
Rep. Gallego writes: “As Arizona’s border sectors see increased activity and demand for resources, it is vital that our counties, local governments, and non-profits have adequate resources to respond. However, many will run out of funding in a matter of months. This is because SSP provides far lower funding levels for border states compared to the program that came before it, the Emergency Food and Shelter Program- Humanitarian (EFSP-H).”
This is not the first time Rep. Gallego has raised the issue of SSP funding.
On a one-on-one call last Friday with Homeland Security Sec. Mayorkas, Rep. Gallego stressed that DHS needs to increase resources and funding to border communities dramatically. He also raised the need to improve communication and coordination with local leaders.
The call with Sec. Mayorkas occurred after increased border crossings prompted U.S. Customs and Border Protection to release migrants into Arizona communities. Rep. Gallego noted that his office was “in touch with local officials on these releases and that this was “yet another example of Homeland Security’s pattern of mismanagement on AZ’s border.”
Rep. Gallego concludes his letter with the same message for the House Appropriations Committee.
“The current failures of SSP are hitting particularly hard in Arizona, but the ability of border states to adequately address migrant crossings also carries national implications. Arizona’s localities and nonprofits have taken on additional responsibilities in the wake of Title 42 ending and have done so with enormous success: Arizona is the only border state that had zero street releases last year, but we have already seen those numbers rise in recent weeks. It is our responsibility to make sure that they have the resources to maintain their work now and into the future, which is why strong funding and revisions to SSP are extremely important.,” he writes.
In June, Rep. Gallego sent his first letter to FEMA arguing that border states like Arizona need more funding to address border crossings and provide services. He called the FEMA SSP funding model “misguided.”
After a lackluster response from FEMA, he sent a second letter to Sec. Mayorkas expressing his disagreement with the funding levels.
Following the end of Title 42 and communications with Arizona border leaders, Gallego sent four letters to Biden Administration officials and Congress requesting specific resources these communities need to reduce the burden on them and their residents.