Ramirez, García, Espaillat, Velázquez, Panetta Lead Members of Congress Urging Biden to Provide no less than $5B in Federal Funding for Sanctuary Cities

Washington, DC – Today, Congressmembers Delia C. Ramirez (IL-03), Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04), Adriano Espaillat (NY-13), Nydia Velázquez (NY-7), and Jimmy Panetta (CA-19) led colleagues of Illinois, New York, and California delegations on a letter urging the Biden Administration to ensure interior cities receive the federal resources and support needed to provide shelter and essential life-saving services to asylum seekers.

In the letter, the Members of Congress call for the disbursement of no less than $5 billion in additional federal emergency funding. Currently, President Biden is asking Congress to consider a supplemental funding package that includes $1.4 billion for migrant shelters and services.

“While we are greatly appreciative of the additional federal funding proposed, our city budgets and local taxpayers continue to bear the brunt of this ongoing federal crisis,” wrote the Members of Congress. “Our cities need additional resources that far exceed the amount proposed to properly care for the asylum seekers entering our communities. Relying on municipal budgets is not sustainable.”

“We need additional federal funds to assist those who are arriving in our communities without hindering our ability to manage other city functions. We request an appropriation of no less than $5 billion to cover the expenditures our cities have already incurred and to continue serving the growing number of people arriving in our communities,” added the Members of Congress. 

“Across our cities, we can agree that we need no less than $5 billion to provide essential services and successful resettlement to people seeking asylum. I have advocated for $10 billion in emergency funding, acknowledging the humanitarian crises driving migration and acknowledging that our interior cities have, for over a year, attempted to meet the need without substantial federal support,”  said Congresswoman Ramirez. “As the Vice Ranking Member of the Homeland Security Committee and representative of IL-03, I will continue to strengthen the coalition between federal and local government needed to strategically maximize and expand the Federal resources available to meet the moment while delivering comprehensive immigration solutions and a pathway to legal status for all those seeking to make our nation their home.”

 The letter addressed to President Joe Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas also calls for: 

• Expedited work permits to provide asylum seekers with the opportunity to work and alleviate the need for government support. 
• an expanded collaborative approach to coordinated entry and transportation of asylum seekers for the better handling of new arrivals, the resources available, and the backlog of work permits

“Our cities and states can far better handle the flow of new arrivals if there is a coordinated entry and distribution process for newcomers once they arrive. This ability would increase dramatically if each new arrival could access work authorization within 30 days. With work authorization provided, we are confident that we could lead a coalition of cities that could identify shared available capacity, welcome newcomers in a way that would set them up for success, and relieve the burden on border cities and destination cities receiving far greater numbers than can be supported,” included the representatives.

In addition, U.S. Representatives  Jonathan Jackson (IL-01), Danny Davis (IL-07), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Bill Foster (IL-11), Jamaal Bowman (NY-16), and Grace Meng (NY-06) also joined the letter.

The full text of the letter can be found HERE.  

The full text of the Mayoral letter can be found HERE.

BACKGROUND

Since August 31, 2022, the City of Chicago has welcomed over 20,000 new arrivals from the southern border. Interior cities receive limited information about the timing and number of bus and airplane arrivals, as well as passenger composition and verification of sponsors. Right now, Chicago has spent over $320 million, Denver is spending almost $2 million a week on shelter, and New York City has surpassed $1.7 billion in spending.