McALLEN, TEXAS (Border Report) — Assisting migrant families and unaccompanied children refugees has cost the federal government over $20 billion during the past two fiscal years, according to a new report.
The nonprofit organization OpenTheBooks found that in Fiscal Year 2022, the Office of Refugee Resettlement spent $8.9 billion on migrant-related services. In Fiscal 2023, ORR spent $10.98 billion, according to the report released this week.
This included over $5.5 billion each year to assist unaccompanied migrant children.
ORR is part of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees and takes care of all unaccompanied youth who come to the U.S. border.
Other ORR migrant-related costs included:
- $564 million in each fiscal year for transitional and medical-related services.
- $307 million each year for refugee support services.
- Nearly $30 million each year for programs to combat the illegal trafficking of migrants.
Discretionary spending grants from the agency skyrocketed from $33 million in Fiscal 2021 to over $600 million in Fiscal 2023, according to the report. This is the highest amount of spending since 2013.
Use of these funds included providing emergency housing support, work authorization applications, medical screenings, cultural orientation, mental health and legal referrals and school enrollment for asylum-seekers in the United States.
As of Tuesday, there were 8,008 unaccompanied migrant children in HHS custody, including 197 apprehended by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and placed in HHS care on that very day, according to both agencies.
OpenTheBooks says it compiled its report by filing thousands of Freedom of Information Act requests on government spending in HHS.
Sandra Sanchez can be reached at SSanchez@BorderReport.com.
