Washington, D.C.—In an effort to ensure that millions of dollars allocated to assist communities like Portland facing a surge in asylum seekers is distributed as Congress intended, U.S. Senators Susan Collins and Angus King and Representatives Chellie Pingree and Jared Golden called on the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today to release its funding formula.

Earlier this month, the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, 2019, was signed into law, which provided nearly $4.6 billion to address needs on the southern border, as well as $30 million for communities with an influx of asylum seekers.  Senator Collins and King and Representatives Pingree and Golden all voted in support of the package.

The law requires that the $30 million be distributed by July 31, 2019 to communities experiencing an influx in asylum seekers.  The Maine delegation expressed their concern, however, that FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program (EFSP) has yet to release a formula that is consistent with this directive.

Approximately 320 asylum seekers have arrived in Portland since mid-June, and many are currently being housed in the Portland Expo, which has been converted into an emergency shelter. 

“Portland, its surrounding communities, and many individuals and organizations are pitching in to help meet the basic needs of these new arrivals, and additional resources are being provided by the state to cover longer-term housing needs,” Senator Collins and King and Representatives Pingree and Golden wrote.  “While Maine is a welcoming state, our citizens should not bear these costs alone.”

“To ensure the equitable distribution of the $30 million provided by the Emergency Supplemental, a proper allocation formula would consider other factors, such as Maine’s high housing costs and low income relative to other states,” the Maine Delegation continued.  “We urge you to consider these and other relevant factors in developing the EFSP allocation formula, and we stand ready to assist you in obtaining any information you may need to do so.”

Click HERE for a signed PDF of the Maine Delegation’s letter.

The full text of the Maine delegation’s letter is as follows:

July 18, 2019

Mr. Michael Lee

Chair, Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program

Individual Assistance Division

Federal Emergency Management Agency

U.S. Department of Homeland Security

500 C Street SW

Washington, DC 20472

Dear Mr. Lee:

We write concerning the formula that will be used by the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) to allocate the $30 million appropriated to it under the Emergency Supplemental Appropriations for Humanitarian Assistance and Security at the Southern Border Act, 2019.  This funding was provided by Congress to assist communities that are struggling to cope with the expenses associated with a surge in families and children seeking asylum in our country.

One such community is Portland, Maine.  Since mid-June, an estimated 320 asylum seekers have arrived in Portland after a long and perilous journey from sub-Saharan Africa, through Central America, and across our southern border.  Neither Portland nor the State of Maine have sufficient emergency housing to accommodate such a large group of new arrivals, many of whom are traveling as families.  These asylum seekers are currently being housed in the Portland Expo, a basketball arena which has been converted into an emergency shelter for this purpose. 

By law, these asylum seekers are prohibited from applying for work authorization until 150 days after completing their asylum application.  This requirement, adopted in the 1990s, inadvertently places the burden of care upon the states and municipalities where the asylum seekers reside. Portland, its surrounding communities, and many individuals and organizations are pitching in to help meet the basic needs of these new arrivals, and additional resources are being provided by the state to cover longer-term housing needs.  While Maine is a welcoming state, our citizens should not bear these costs alone.

Recognizing this, the Emergency Supplemental recently passed by Congress directs the Board to “distribute such funds only to jurisdictions or local recipient organizations serving communities that have experienced a significant influx of such aliens.”  We note with concern that no funding formula consistent with this directive has yet to be announced by EFSP, even though the Emergency Supplemental directs the National Board to disburse these funds no later than July 31, 2019.  Furthermore, EFSP’s customary allocation formula, as described in its Fact Sheet available online, is based on “the most recent national population, unemployment, and poverty statistics.”  Such a formula is contrary to the intent of Congress for the allocation of the $30 million provided by the Emergency Supplemental, and should not be used to apportion these funds.  Indeed, during the Senate Appropriations Committee mark-up of the Emergency Supplemental, Senator Collins specifically discussed the $30 million as needed to provide relief to communities like Portland, Maine. 

To ensure the equitable distribution of the $30 million provided by the Emergency Supplemental, a proper allocation formula would consider other factors, such as Maine’s high housing costs and low income relative to other states.  We urge you to consider these and other relevant factors in developing the EFSP allocation formula, and we stand ready to assist you in obtaining any information you may need to do so.