The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced on Friday that the Emergency Food and Shelter Program’s National Board would allocate $332.5 million in humanitarian aid to help areas of the U.S. that are taking in non-citizens who are waiting during immigration proceedings.
Thirty-five local governments and service organizations are set to receive the aid.
DHS said that later this year $360 million in additional humanitarian assistance funds will be released through the department's Shelter and Services Grant Program.
The allocation was made possible through the Consolidated Appropriations Act which was signed into law by President Joe Biden on Dec. 29, 2022.
On Friday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced his state would be sending troops to the Texas-Mexico border in anticipation of the end of Title 42.
Abbott blamed the Biden administration for leaving "dangerous gaps" in securing the U.S. border. The Texas governor said it is his understanding that the Biden administration said it is possible that up to 13,000 migrants could be expected to cross the U.S. border each day after Title 42 ends. Abbott called the issues "a United States problem" and not "a Texas problem."
Abbot said, "It’s the responsibility of New York or Chicago or the entire country to deal with the problem caused by Joe Biden and his open border policies."
The Pentagon said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin approved the deployment of 1,500 U.S. troops to the U.S.-Mexico border.
President Joe Biden gotrid of expedited asylum screenings during his first month in office as part of attempts by his administration to remove border policies put in place by the Trump White House.
Previously implemented COVID-19 asylum restrictions are scheduled to expire on May 11, and the U.S. anticipates a sharp increase in illegal immigrant crossings coming up from Mexico.
The Texas Department of Public Safety also reinstated enhanced inspections of all commercial vehicles coming into the U.S. from Mexico, focusing its efforts mainly on the entry port at Brownsville,Texas for now.
Trucks crossing at that entry port saw delays of between 8 and 24 hours for truck drivers trying to cross the border into the United States.
Texas DPS said it expects the enhanced inspections and delays to continue for an "undetermined amount of time."
Texas 'Operation Lone Star' prepares troops for end of Title 42
In response to a presidential order to send 1,500 troops to the Texas border with Mexico, Gov. Gregg Abbott said Texas will send troops as well.
