First Responders Emergency Assistance Act

Key Points

• This bill, introduced by Mr. Gallego, would create a new grant program run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The program is designed to give money to local police, fire departments, and emergency medical teams to help them handle the costs of a sudden and large increase in the number of immigrants arriving in their communities.
• Local agencies could use the grant money to pay for officer overtime, new equipment, and the salaries of extra staff needed during these busy times. To ensure border communities get help, at least 25% of the total funding must be given to states that share a border with Mexico or Canada.
• The bill includes a specific rule that this money cannot be used to enforce federal immigration laws. Instead, the funds are meant to cover the basic costs of responding to an emergency situation and keeping the community safe when local resources are stretched thin.
• To keep the program transparent, the head of FEMA would be required to track all spending and report back to Congress every year. These reports would explain exactly how local departments used the money and whether the program is helping them manage the impact of rapid population changes.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.