The Federal Emergency Administration Company will now not pay Denver about $24 million in promised grant cash to cowl what town already spent to shelter migrants, in response to a letter despatched this month.
“The (Division of Homeland Safety), in line with President Trump’s course, is targeted on advancing the important mission of implementing immigration legal guidelines and securing the border,” says the letter, obtained by JHB.
The town obtained the discover April 1 nevertheless it wasn’t made public till it was cited throughout a Metropolis Council presentation by town’s Division of Finance Monday afternoon.
In response to a query from Councilwoman Shontel Lewis, Funds Director Justin Sykes talked about the letter and stated the division hasn’t included canceled or presumably canceled federal grant {dollars} because it develops the upcoming 2026 metropolis finances.
FEMA awarded Denver $32 million however has despatched solely about $8 million, leaving about $24 million unfulfilled. It’s unclear if federal officers will even require Denver to return the cash the federal authorities already gave town.
Denver meant to make use of the FEMA {dollars} to assist offset what it spent to quickly shelter an inflow of about 43,000 migrants who arrived within the metropolis between late 2022 and 2024, together with many despatched by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott.
The town, which is relying on about $150 million in federal {dollars} for its 2025 finances, is following funding threats from the federal authorities carefully, Sykes stated. Since taking workplace in January, President Donald Trump has threatened to withhold federal cash of various sorts from cities seen as too supportive of undocumented immigrants.
New York additionally obtained a letter from FEMA on April 1 terminating $188 million in grants, in response to The New York Instances. Elsewhere, the Justice Division is suing Chicago over its insurance policies that restrict cooperation with immigration authorities.
Whereas Denver’s finances will undoubtedly take a success from the lack of the FEMA funding, it gained’t be felt instantly as a result of town wasn’t anticipating a reimbursement for a number of years, metropolis spokesperson Jon Ewing instructed The Put up.
Earlier, FEMA, which is below the Division of Homeland Safety, despatched metropolis officers a letter in March threatening to withhold the {dollars} and accusing town of utilizing the cash for unlawful actions. The company additionally requested Denver to supply detailed details about whom it helped shelter. The town was already required to supply a few of that info for the unique grant utility however did so once more in response to the request, Ewing stated.
The letter, signed by appearing FEMA administrator Cameron Hamilton, stated the company is terminating the funds as a result of the award is “not constant” with the division’s priorities.
“Grant packages that assist, or have the potential to assist, unlawful immigration by means of funding unlawful actions or assist for unlawful aliens that isn’t in line with DHS’s enforcement focus don’t effectuate the company’s present priorities,” in response to the letter.
The grant {dollars} have been a part of FEMA’s Shelter and Companies Program, which Congress authorizes. This system directs FEMA to assist non-federal entities which are sheltering “noncitizen migrants following their launch from the Division of Homeland Safety.”
The Trump administration hasn’t despatched town some other particular threats to tug again grant {dollars}, Ewing stated.
Trump signed two govt orders associated to his crackdown on migrants Monday, together with one which directs state and federal officers to publish lists of “sanctuary metropolis” jurisdictions, in response to the Related Press. The opposite expands regulation enforcement operations to make it simpler to detain migrants.
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