Yavapai News

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced May 5 that the Emergency Food and Shelter Program’s National Board has approved $332 million in funding for communities across the country who are receiving immigrants awaiting the results of their immigration trials.

"This is insane," U.S. Rep. Eli Crane (R_AZ) wrote in a post on Twitter. "$300+ million in taxpayer dollars for released illegal aliens who broke our laws."

 The money will be used for housing and food efforts. New York City will receive the largest amount, DHS said. A second round of funding of around $360 million will be distributed by the DHS later this fiscal year, according to the agency.

“This is just one component of DHS’s comprehensive, multi-agency plan to manage increased encounters at the Southern Border and support communities when the Title 42 public health Order lifts,” the DHS news release said.

Title 42 is a public health and safety policy that has been used to limit immigration for the sake of preventing the spread of disease or health risks. It has been especially prudent since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The policy will expire on May 11 along with the nation’s state of emergency regarding COVID.

Despite the Emergency Food and Shelter program board already giving out $75 million in December and the $332.5 million that was made available through the bipartisan Consolidated Appropriations Act signed into law by President Biden on Dec. 29, the board was still not able to fully fund all of the grant requests from communities across the country.

 DHS reporter Anna Giartelli shared the news on Twitter, commenting on the extremely close timing with the grant money and the end of Title 42 protections.

 “A week ahead of Title 42's termination, DHS/FEMA announced [May 5] it will give $332,500,000 to local governments and nonprofits within the interior of the U.S. (not on the border) to help unauthorized immigrants who were released into the U.S." the tweet said.