Call to Action: Extension of Critical Funding for Borderland NGOs

Photo by Etienne Girardet on Unsplash

Urgent support is needed to ensure the continuation of humane and orderly reception services for noncitizens at the U.S.-Mexico border. The Emergency Food and Shelter Program-Humanitarian (EFSP-H) funding is crucial for the collective efforts of community based shelters and humanitarian aid organizations, and to ensure that those efforts remain sustainable, we are urging an extension of the EFSP-H deadline to December 31, 2024.

May 2024: The recent decision by the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) board to deny an extension request for Fiscal Year 2023 humanitarian funding will result in the immediate defunding of at least five critical shelters in Texas and New Mexico.

Borderland NGOs and local government partners have proven essential in ensuring a safe, orderly, and humane reception for asylum seekers, and preventing the previous dangerous practice of releasing newly arrived families and children directly to the streets of under-resourced border communities. Seven of these crucial border partners that built a humane community response in Texas and New Mexico were previously awarded operational funding through the EFSP-H program that, due to shifting migrant patterns and responsible stewardship, they anticipated to be fully expended by the end of this year. Unfortunately, the request for an extension on the spending period for the EFSP-H funding has only been approved through June 30th, and widespread support is needed to encourage the board to make the right decision on this crucial funding.

The situation is urgent. Without an extension, critical services will be disrupted, leading to increased street releases, emergency declarations, and chaotic migrant transfers. For instance, without this extension, Border Servant Corps will have to close by June 30, 2024, shutting down two major 24/7 migrant shelters in El Paso and southern New Mexico, the only Port Reception Site for CBP One™ migrants in the El Paso Sector, and the only Airport Reception Team in the region. However, the current Shelter and Services Program (SSP) model is largely inaccessible to NGOs, making this extension vital.

By signing onto our letter to Secretary Mayorkas, Administrator Criswell, Commissioner Miller, and the EFSP National Board, you will be advocating for the necessary extension of funding and the development of an accessible advance funding model under the Shelter and Services Program (SSP). Please add your organization’s name to this vital cause by Wednesday, June 12th.

Read the organizational support letter and sign on at this link.

Together, we can ensure that our borderland communities continue to provide safe, orderly, and humane reception for those seeking asylum. Thank you for your steadfast commitment to supporting migrants and upholding their dignity and rights.