Attorney General Nick Brown of Washington has launched a legal barrage against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), claiming it unlawfully canceled over $4 million in funds designated to support the state’s migrant shelters. According to documentation released by the Washington State Attorney General’s Office, these funds were initially approved by Congress to assist migrants awaiting resolution of their asylum or other immigration claims.
A 2019 law, enacted under President Trump’s first term, specifically channeled federal dollars towards states, local jurisdictions, and nonprofit organizations. These funds provided essential services like emergency food and shelter after migrants were released from DHS custody. But, as the migrant population swelled in Washington, the needs outpaced the resources provided by local facilities. Between 2022 and 2024, the number of migrants surged tenfold from 4,156 to 45,603, testing the limits of the state’s emergency systems. “Once again, the Trump administration is breaking the law and ignoring Congress,” Brown stated, pointing to the abrupt retraction of the funds as a policy disagreement rather than a lawful budgetary decision, per the Washington State Attorney General’s Office.
In response to the growing humanitarian challenge, the Washington Migrant and Asylum-Seeker Support Project (WA MASS Project) was initiated in October 2024, with Washington state allocating $25 million to support it. Despite the substantial state funding, federal support via the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Shelter and Services Program was seen as pivotal to uphold these efforts. However, before a requisition for the awarded funds could be made, Brown claims that FEMA froze and subsequently terminated the funding, flouting constitutional law and congressional authority.
