Catholic Charities of San Antonio is at risk of closing its Migrant Resource Center during evening and overnight hours due to a lack of federal funding aimed at supporting asylum-seekers. The nonprofit, which received $55 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) program in the prior fiscal year, has only $5.7 million left. This has prompted considerations to reduce the center's hours to preserve services for migrants during the day.
Congress recently approved the fiscal year 2024 funding level for FEMA's Shelter and Services Program, but the funding was reduced by nearly 20% from the prior year. Lawmakers have been urged to provide additional financial support to address the surge of migrants entering the US, but the program has not seen any increase in funding since late 2023.
Rep. Joaquin Castro emphasized that immigration is a federal responsibility and highlighted the importance of funding from the Shelter and Services Program in assisting organizations like Catholic Charities in providing essential services to asylum-seekers.
The funding cut comes at a time when the number of migrants at the US-Mexico border is at or near record levels, posing challenges for cities and counties that rely on FEMA support. Municipalities and states across the US are grappling with the impact of reduced funding, with concerns raised about the strain on local resources and services.
FEMA is expected to release more information in the coming weeks for communities and organizations to apply for the limited $650 million in funds. However, the demand for assistance exceeds the available funding, prompting calls for Congress to pass a bipartisan border security agreement that would allocate additional funds to address the ongoing crisis.
Local officials, including Mayor Ron Nirenberg of San Antonio, have been advocating for more federal funding to support migrants and are exploring contingency plans in case the assistance falls short of the need. The uncertainty surrounding funding levels has raised concerns about the potential impact on services provided to asylum-seekers and the ability of organizations to meet the growing demand for support.
As cities and counties navigate the funding challenges, there is a growing recognition of the need for sustained federal support to address the complex issues surrounding immigration and asylum-seekers in the US.
