Senator Baldwin Pushes Biden Administration to Support Wisconsin Communities Receiving Migrants

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) called on President Joe Biden to provide immediate assistance to communities in Wisconsin as migration strains existing state and local resources. Senator Baldwin cited the City of Whitewater which recently sent a letter to President Biden asking for additional assistance and resources for the community to assist with migrants the community has received since 2022. Whitewater leadership said the city required more resources to communicate with migrants and provide safe transportation, housing, and public safety services.

“The United States and the Western hemisphere are experiencing an unprecedented period of migration, straining our infrastructure and our national, state, and local governments’ ability to respond. The impact of this migration is not contained to communities at our Southwestern border,” wrote Senator Baldwin in a letter to President Biden. “Addressing this crisis requires leadership, and as part of your Administration’s response, I urge you to ensure that adequate resources and support are available to towns and cities across Wisconsin to keep our communities healthy and safe for all.

“I am working to connect the city to existing resources that may offset these costs. However, it is clear that more must be done to provide the resources necessary to respond to this period of unprecedented migration and its effects at our Southwest border and across the United States,” continued Senator Baldwin.

In the letter, Senator Baldwin asks the Biden Administration to ensure smaller municipalities like Whitewater are eligible for federal grants to provide food, shelter, and other services to recently arrived migrants. She also called on the Biden Administration to provide technical assistance for smaller communities like Whitewater dealing with migrants, which often lack the resources and capacity of larger municipalities.

Senator Baldwin is also working in the Senate to pass legislation that will deliver resources to help communities dealing with an influx of migrants, invest in critical border enforcement activities, stem the flow of fentanyl across the border, and process claims for migrants.

“Wisconsin is home to nearly 300,000 immigrant residents, originating from countries across the globe. Wisconsin communities need appropriate resources to provide services to help all Wisconsinites stay safe and thrive,” concluded Senator Baldwin.

A full version of this letter is available here and below.

Dear President Biden:

I write to express my concern and request immediate assistance for cities and towns across the State of Wisconsin as migration increases demands on existing state and local government resources.

I support the ongoing bipartisan negotiations on legislation that will help fix our broken immigration system, secure our border, and provide the resources the Administration has requested for critical border enforcement activities, communities receiving migrants, and to stem the flow of fentanyl across the border. The United States and the Western hemisphere are experiencing an unprecedented period of migration, straining our infrastructure and our national, state, and local governments’ ability to respond. The impact of this migration is not contained to communities at our Southwestern border. Addressing this crisis requires leadership, and as part of your Administration’s response, I urge you to ensure that adequate resources and support are available to towns and cities across Wisconsin to keep our communities healthy and safe for all.

I want to ensure your attention to a request you recently received from the City of Whitewater, Wisconsin. Whitewater estimates that between 800-1,000 migrants have arrived since 2022, a population increase of approximately 7 percent. The city reports that it lacks the resources to provide the types of communication, transportation, housing, and public safety services that are necessary to best serve its community. I am working to connect the city to existing resources that may offset these costs. However, it is clear that more must be done to provide the resources necessary to respond to this period of unprecedented migration and its effects at our Southwest border and across the United States.

That is why am fighting to secure the key investments that will help cities and recently arrived migrants as they integrate in local communities included in the Administration’s national security supplemental appropriations request. These investments would include an additional $1.4 billion in Shelter and Services Program (SSP) grants to local governments to provide food, shelter, and other services to recently arrived migrants; 30 new USCIS officers to speed issuance of work authorization for eligible noncitizens; 375 additional immigration judge teams to adjudicate and process immigration cases; and an additional 1,600 asylum officers and other staff to hear migrant claims and facilitate timely dispositions.

Wisconsin communities must be eligible to apply for this funding. Following appropriation of additional SSP funding, I urge the Federal Emergency Management Agency to broaden the eligibility for this funding beyond those cities and nonprofits that previously received it to ensure that Wisconsin communities, like Whitewater, can benefit from these resources. I additionally urge the Administration to work across agencies to provide technical assistance to communities – small and large – as they work to meet the needs of migrants. This technical assistance is particularly necessary for smaller communities who may lack the resources and capacity of larger municipalities, or who are implementing support services for migrant populations for the first time.

Wisconsin is home to nearly 300,000 immigrant residents, originating from countries across the globe. Wisconsin communities need appropriate resources to provide services to help all Wisconsinites stay safe and thrive. Thank you for your prompt attention to this urgent matter.

Sincerely,

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