ENROLLED ORIGINAL
A RESOLUTION
25-221
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
July 11, 2023
To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the need to continue to provide services
and supports to recent immigrants to the United States and to clarify eligibility
requirements and supports provided by the Office of Migrant Services.
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
resolution may be cited as the “Migrant Services and Supports Extension Emergency Declaration
Resolution of 2023”.
Sec. 2. (a) An unprecedented influx of migrants, totaling approximately 10,373
individuals, have arrived in the District from Texas and Arizona on over 290 buses since October
6, 2022, with an additional 8,000 migrants arriving on over 300 buses prior to April 13, 2022.
(b) The challenges faced by these migrants necessitate continued attention and
comprehensive support that extends beyond the capabilities of our esteemed non-governmental
organizations partners alone, which have expressed limitations in terms of staffing, resources,
and logistics.
(c) To address these needs, the Council enacted the Migrant Services and Supports
Temporary Act of 2022, effective December 21, 2022 (D.C. Law 24-234; 70 DCR 030), which
will expire on August 3, 2023.
(d) The Office of Migrant Services continues to provide a range of vital services to
support migrants and any abrupt discontinuation of these services will lead to significant harm to
migrants and District residents.
(e) The Council clarified the eligibility, procedural protections, and support services for
migrants in the Migrant Services Eligibility Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2023,
enacted May 24, 2023 (D.C. Act 25-105; 70 DCR 7919).
(f) Even with this legislation and dedicated resources, the scale of this challenge requires
collective action and shared responsibility, including active participation by the federal
government in addressing the needs of migrants.
(g) The provisions of the Migrant Services and Supports Temporary Act of 2022 and
Migrant Services Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2023 must be extended without
delay to continue to provide necessary assistance and aid to migrants who have been forced to
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 ENROLLED ORIGINAL
seek refuge within our borders, while concurrently preserving the programs and resources
essential for the welfare of existing District residents.
Sec. 3. The Council determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute
emergency circumstances making it necessary that the Migrant Services and Supports Extension
Emergency Amendment Act of 2023 should be adopted after a single reading.
Sec. 4. This resolution shall take effect immediately.
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