Funding for migrants who arrived in Sacramento has slowed down. Could they soon be homeless?
Many of the Latin American migrants who arrived in Sacramento via Florida-chartered planes could soon be responsible for paying rent while they still cannot legally work.
A form given to 31 of the migrants on July 27 by Sacramento ACT, a faith-based community organization, was recently shared with The Sacramento Bee. The document states in Spanish that housing for the migrants can only be guaranteed until Sept. 30, noting that the organization will try to push for an additional two to three months.
“Please note that Sacramento ACT and our community partners do not have access to housing, but we are willing to try to find a place where you can have accommodations,” states the document.
Sacramento ACT has spearheaded efforts to help the migrants since they were ferried in two separate flights from Texas to Sacramento-area airports on June 2 and June 5 as part of Florida’s “voluntary relocation” program. Within days, the organization and other local religious congregations came together to provide housing, food, clothes and cellphones for the migrants.
A GoFundMe page was also launched to cover the continued cost of caring for them. The migrants are currently housed in a Sacramento-area hotel paid for by these donations.
Sacramento ACT’s document is preparing the migrants for what could be an stark reality — no housing in the coming months. None of the migrants have work permits yet, and are struggling to secure work.
Federal law prevents them from working legally without the proper authorization. The fastest way to gain that permission is to file an asylum application and wait 180 days to be approved for a work permit. Until then, the migrants can only work as independent contractors, which includes jobs like recycling cans and selling produce at farmer markets. They also have no credit history, proof of income and will face yearslong asylum cases.
The four-page document titled “Disclaimer Responsibility Program For 31 Migrants Looking For Asylum” lists responsibilities for migrants should they want to continue participating with the Sacramento ACT program. Thirty six migrants originally arrived in the capital region, with five since leaving with friends or family.
These include abiding by certain hotel rules, keeping up to date with immigration and health appointments and that starting Sept. 1 each migrant should contribute $30 for housing accommodations. The fee would cover the entire month at the hotel.
“It is likely that help will be at a lower level than we have been able to offer and you need to keep this in mind as we get closer to our end date,” states the July 27 document.
How migrants have responded Sacramento ACT’s document
The migrants were asked to sign the form if they agree with the rules. The document states that failure to comply will result in the termination of their participation in the Sacramento ACT’s program.
A migrant women cited in The Guardian voiced concerns about the document, danger of homelessness and paying the $30 as she can’t find work.
But the migrant who shared the document told The Bee said he had no issue with the form and signed it that day. The Venezuelan migrant referenced donations from the food pantry and volunteer attorney assigned to each migrant to help with their asylum cases.
He said the majority of the migrants seemed in agreement and were appreciative of Sacramento ACT’s ongoing help.
“If everything ends tomorrow, they have already given us a lot of help,” he said.
Another Venezuelan migrant agreed with that sentiment, saying he signed the form and had no issue paying the $30.
“It’s a lot more to pay for a month of rent in Sacramento than $30…They spend a lot on us, so we have to understand as well,” he said.
The two migrants spoke on the condition of anonymity, fearing violence and other reprisals for their presence in the capital region.
Neither man expressed fear of homelessness, noting they’ve already endured many challenges to make it to the United States. If they become unhoused, they would add to the estimated 9,930 homeless people in Sacramento on any given night.
When asked about the possibility of homelessness for the migrants after Sept. 30, Sacramento ACT spokeswoman Cecilia Flores said “we will continue to knock on doors and look for solutions.”
Gabby Trejo, executive director of Sacramento ACT, said since the document was distributed the organization has secured more funding and it will continue to work with partner agencies.
“We have not received any funds from the city and county to date, but we are hopeful that within the next several weeks the county may approve funding to assist with this effort with the same enthusiasm they had to provide services and resources when our new neighbors arrived at the beginning of June,” Trejo said, in an email statement.
Sacramento ACT continues to accept donations through the GoFundMe page.
This story was originally published August 16, 2023 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Funding for migrants who arrived in Sacramento has slowed down. Could they soon be homeless?."
