Arizona receives $47M more in federal funding to support border communities

PHOENIX — Over $47.3 million is coming to help border communities in Arizona, authorities announced last week.

The funding is part of $380 million in grants the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is giving to support communities receiving migrants throughout the U.S.

This money will help pay for food, shelter, clothing, medical care and transportation. The services are specifically for noncitizens recently released from DHS custody and who are waiting for their appointments in immigration court.

The money will be distributed through the Shelter and Services Program (SSP).

The funds will help local government agencies and nongovernmental organizations, such as nonprofits, manage migrant encounters at the Arizona-Mexico border, DHS said.

How will the money help border communities in Arizona?

The new rush of funds stacks atop the $55 million in federal funds already coming to help Arizona’s border communities.

Here is the breakdown of the funds:

• State of Arizona will receive $19.2 million.
• Pima County will receive $18.7 million.
• Regional Center for Border Health in Yuma will receive $7.5 million.
• Borderlands Resource Initiative in Pima County will receive $1.8 million.

Arizona Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly, who secured $800 million to create the SSP in the 2023 fiscal year, were happy to hear about the new funding.

“Arizona border communities continue to manage releases from DHS custody,” Sinema said in a news release. “I’m proud to secure critical resources to support our border communities:  preventing street releases, providing humane treatment of migrants and keeping Arizona families safe.”