On Wednesday, Representative Juan Vargas (D-San Diego) announced an additional $43,675,626 in funding through the Shelter and Services Program (SSP) for nonprofit organizations supporting migrants awaiting their immigration court proceedings.
The Catholic Charities Diocese of San Diego has been allocated $21,598,261, while Jewish Family Service of San Diego will receive $22,077,365. This financial support will aid in providing essential services such as food, shelter, clothing, medical care, and transportation to newly arrived migrants. This funding is supplementary to the over $39 million in SSP funding announced in April.
“All individuals seeking asylum and refuge in the United States deserve to be treated with respect, dignity, and humanity. This crucial funding will enable San Diego nonprofits to continue delivering vital services to migrant communities,” stated Vargas. “I remain committed to advocating for comprehensive immigration reform that addresses the root causes of migration, restores confidence in our legal immigration system, and creates pathways to citizenship for Dreamers, Temporary Protected Status holders, and farmworkers.”
The SSP funding is provided by the Department of Homeland Security, through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Nationally, $300 million in SSP funding has been awarded. In April, the County of San Diego and the Catholic Diocese of San Diego County received $19,592,554 each.
Additionally, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors allocated $3 million in October 2023 and another $3 million in December 2023 to operate a temporary Migrant Transitional Center. After the center’s closure due to a lack of funding, Vargas advocated for the establishment of a federally funded migrant transition center, which was subsequently adopted by the Board of Supervisors on February 27.