End FEMA Benefits for Illegal Immigrants Act
Key claim: S771 would prohibit FEMA from operating the Shelter and Services Program and rescind unobligated FY2023–FY2024 funds that provided shelter, food, and transportation grants for noncitizen migrants awaiting immigration proceedings.
Abstract
(S771 · 119th Congress) End FEMA Benefits for Illegal Immigrants Act This bill prohibits the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from carrying out the Shelter and Services Program (SSP) and rescinds unobligated funds transferred to FEMA for this purpose for FY2023-FY2024. The SSP provides grants to public and nonprofit entities for temporarily providing shelter and other services (e.g., food, transportation) to noncitizen migrants released from Department of Homeland Security custody and awaiting immigration court proceedings, as well as for increasing grant recipients’ capacity to temporarily shelter such individuals (e.g., modifying existing facilities). Latest action (2025-02-27): Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Why this matters
The Shelter and Services Program has been a primary federal channel for reimbursing border communities and NGOs that receive migrants released pending immigration court proceedings. Eliminating it would shift shelter, food, and onward-transportation costs onto state and local governments and nonprofits, and could affect release logistics for DHS. The bill fits within a broader legislative pattern in this area of narrowing federal benefits and support tied to noncitizens in removal proceedings.