Homeland Security awards $350 million to communities to deal with 'costs of noncitizen arrivals'

The Department of Homeland Security announced it is awarding $350 million from December's omnibus spending package to "help local communities around the country better manage the costs of noncitizen arrivals in their communities," amid record migration numbers.

"With today’s funding of $350 million for the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, DHS is delivering on our commitment to provide needed support to communities across the country that receive noncitizens who are in immigration enforcement proceedings," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said when announcing the program Tuesday.

The $1.7 trillion omnibus spending bill established a new Homeland Security grant known as the Shelter and Services Program by having Customs and Border Protection transfer $800 million to the Federal Emergency Management Agency to create the program, officials said.

Denver, New York City, Washington, D.C., and other major metropolitan areas across the country have said they are having difficulties dealing with the influx of migrants.

Last fiscal year, nearly 2.4 million illegal migrants were encountered by U.S. officials at the southern border, according to government data. Every month this fiscal year has had more migrant encounters than the previous year, putting the U.S. on track for another record-breaking year for immigration.