Policy Brief | Residing but Not Residents: The Lack of Long-Term Support for Asylum-Seekers in Washington, DC
Executive Summary
In April 2022, Texas Governor Abbott began busing migrants from Texas to DC; in May, Arizona Governor Ducey followed suit. Since then, hundreds of buses have arrived from both states carrying close to 10,000 people, including infants and children; hundreds more have arrived in DC by other modes of transportation. In October 2022, DC established the Office of Migrant Services (OMS) to serve recently arrived asylum-seekers (recent migrants). OMS’ mandate primarily focused on helping migrants relocate to other cities. There was little to no focus on resettlement support for recent migrants who chose to stay in DC long-term. The lack of resettlement meant that while more families entered the OMS shelters weekly, few were able to become self-sufficient enough to move out. On April 26th, 2023, the OMS shelters reached capacity and the city began turning away families who came to the welcome centers, resulting in multiple families with young children sleeping on the streets of DC.
DC’s current system of supporting recent migrants who chose to stay in the city is ineffective at best. Many, if not most, families report a strong desire to move out of the shelters but are unable to because of barriers to stability they face at the local and federal level. These barriers include: 1) lack of resettlement focused case management, 2) inability to obtain identification cards, 3) lack of adequate legal support, and 4) lack of childcare support. In this brief we summarize the issues these barriers cause and offer policy solutions to mitigate them.
Lack of resettlement focused case management: The residents of OMS shelters continue to be treated as transitory and therefore do not receive the appropriate case management required for families who plan to resettle in the District long-term. Because of this most families staying at the shelters have not filed their asylum applications and therefore cannot apply for work authorization, making them more susceptible to wage theft and exploitation. Additionally, without support with financial orientation and budgeting, many families are unable to save enough to afford rent or a security deposit. We propose that the DC Council pass robust permanent legislation that expands OMS’ mandate to include resettlement support and a clear plan for recent migrants to transition out of temporary shelter that includes helping families obtain identification cards, financial orientation support, medical and prenatal support, English classes, support with school enrollment, and a matching funds saving program.
Inability to obtain identification cards: Currently, recent migrants bused to the District are largely unable to obtain DC identification cards. While DC has a Limited Purpose Credential (LPC) available to residents who do not have social security numbers, recent migrants are unable to provide the documentation required to obtain this ID. Without ID, recent migrants struggle to open bank accounts, sign leases, obtain marriage and birth certificates, and access community resources. We propose that the DC Council pass emergency legislation directing the Mayor to amend Title 18 DCMR, Vehicles and Traffic, to expand the list of documents accepted as primary and secondary sources for proof of identity and make proof of residency requirements equitable and consistent with broader DC law.
Lack of adequate legal support: The migrants arriving in DC are asylum-seekers, they are therefore not eligible for public benefits or given work permits on arrival. Most of the migrants staying at the OMS shelters have to apply for asylum before they can apply for work authorization. Without work authorization, recent migrants struggle to find stable work in DC and are susceptible to exploitation by employers, making it harder to save and become self-reliant. Currently, there are 359 families[1] staying at OMS shelters, a maximum of 40 of which have turned in their asylum applications so far. We propose that the DC Council allocate funding in FY23 Supplemental Budget and FY24 Budget for grants to immigration legal service providers for the purpose of supporting recent migrants with asylum and work authorization applications.
Lack of childcare support: Most of the recent migrants housed at the OMS shelters have children under the age of 5, which means when they go to work, they require childcare. At the shelter, migrants care for each other's children — if a family chooses to move out, they have to navigate the District’s prohibitively high childcare costs. We propose that DHS create a childcare voucher program for low-income residents who do not qualify for federally funded childcare subsidies. This could be done by either supplementing existing childcare programs and expanding eligibility or creating a separate program under DHS or OSSE.
Key recommendations outlined in the brief:
DC should invest in resettlement focused case management.
DC should immediately pass emergency legislation to amend municipal rules pertaining to proof of identity and residency requirements for Limited Purpose Credentials.
DC should allocate money in the FY23 Supplemental Budget and FY24 Budget to a grant program for immigration legal service providers, specifically to file asylum and work authorization applications for recent migrants.
DC should create a childcare voucher program for low-income residents who do not qualify for federally funded childcare subsidies.
With the end of Title 42 and the resulting increase of migrants arriving in the District, the DC Council should take immediate steps to implement the proposals described in this policy brief.
[1] Reported by the Office of Migrant Services at a meeting on May 24th, 2023.