DC Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton is planning to introduce an emergency appropriations bill to provide additional funding for the food and shelter program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
The bill slated for the current fiscal year aims at specifically supporting migrants, including those bused into DC from Texas and Arizona through humanitarian assistance, according to a statement Norton released on Tuesday, July 19.
“The governors of Texas and Arizona are exploiting and harming vulnerable people fleeing desperate and dangerous situations in their home countries for political gain,” Norton said in her release. “I commend the work organizations in D.C. and the National Capital Region have done to assist these migrants, but more funding is needed to assist these families.”
Homeless shelters in Washington D.C. are filling up with asylum seekers from Texas and Arizona. Mayor Bowser says “I fear that they're being tricked into nationwide bus trips when their final destinations are places all over the United States of America.” pic.twitter.com/7OOH6F2Dpl
— Face The Nation (@FaceTheNation) July 17, 2022
DC homeless shelters have filled up with migrants who arrived from Arizona and Texas over the past few months, putting a strain on aid organizations.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has been sending asylum-seekers to the District from his state on buses since April. In May, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey followed suit.
Speaking to CBS News‘ Face the Nation last Sunday, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed her frustration on the issue, saying that asylum seekers are “being tricked into” getting on buses headed to DC, despite the fact that their final destinations are all around the US.
Bowser called on the federal government to stop the practice so that migrants can reach their final destinations.