BROOKLYN, NY – Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic Leader, issued the following statement after FEMA provided $30.5 million in grant funding for the care and assistance of asylum seekers in New York City: 

Our City, State and nation are facing a humanitarian crisis that will take an all-hands-on-deck strategy at every level of government to help solve. We must approach this in a humane manner that upholds our history as a nation that compassionately processes individuals claiming a credible fear of persecution seeking asylum and one that is anchored in the rule of law. 

We in the Congressional Delegation knew that the need for resources in New York was great, and we included hundreds of millions of dollars through the government funding law to assist municipalities across the nation. The $30.5 million we worked to provide New York City in this first round of funding is a step in the right direction and will help the City continue to aid the more than 50,000 asylum seekers who have sought refuge.

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In December 2022, Congress passed a government funding package that directed $800 million to the Emergency Food and Shelter Program for grants to localities and nonprofits for migrants released from Customs and Border Patrol custody upon being processed after being encountered at the border. 

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