
Congress appropriated some FEMA money to house and aid migrants. Trump officials want it used to detain them
CNN
Homeland Security officials are discussing using FEMA funds, intended to provide housing and other aid to migrants, for immigration enforcement, according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions.
Homeland Security officials are discussing using FEMA funds, intended to provide housing and other aid to migrants, for immigration enforcement, according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions. The so-called Shelter and Services Program was the target of Republican attacks during the 2024 presidential campaign and drew the ire of Elon Musk earlier this year, ultimately resulting in the firings of four employees. This week, FEMA notified recipients that it was terminating grants associated with the program, arguing that the payments “no longer effectuate the program goals or agency priorities,” according to a termination letter obtained by CNN. “The individuals receiving these services often have no legal status and are in the United States unlawfully, such as those awaiting removal proceedings. This, in turn, provides support for illegal aliens and is not consistent with DHS’s current priorities,” Acting FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton said in termination letters distributed to grant recipients this week. The grant program was established in 2019 to aid cities sheltering migrants, but who administered it changed over the years. The Emergency Food and Shelter Program, a component of FEMA, administered the program, and later FEMA administered the funds in partnership with US Customs and Border Protection. FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program awarded $641 million to dozens of states and organizations in fiscal year 2024, according to the agency.