The first state-sponsored migrant buses arrived to the District from Texas on April 13, 2022, with buses also arriving from Arizona soon after. The Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Office of Migrant Services (OMS) was created to respond to the visible impact of the national migrant crisis on the District.
Between April and October 2022, the District’s efforts to support arriving migrants largely relied on Community-Based Organizations (CBOs), the DC Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA), and DHS staff who took on additional responsibilities to address the crisis.
In October, the District added contract support to aid operations and strengthen data management and reporting efforts.
Since October 6, 2022, the following key data points have been tracked and reported (as of 11:59 p.m. on April 12, 2023):
Out-of-State Bus Data
- Total Number of Received Out-of-State Buses: 68
- Arizona: 46
- Texas: 22
- Number of Total Migrants Arriving via Out-of-State Buses: 2,647
- Percentage of bus migrants preferring to remain in District (Approximate): 12%
- Percentage of bus migrants preferring onward travel (Approximate): 88%
- Preferred Top 5 Destinations in Order of Preference
- (1) New York; (2) New Jersey; (3) Washington, DC; (4) Pennsylvania; (5) Florida
Temporary Lodging Data
- Total Number of Families Served: 387 o Total Number of Adults Served: 740
- Total Number of Children (Under 18) Served: 610
- Number of Children Enrolled in School: 340
- Number of Births: 10
- Average Nights Sheltered for Current Residents (Approximate): 126
The District contracts for lodging, meals, cleaning and laundry, security, site management, transportation, initial case management, and initial welcome and assessment services. OMS currently has a Program Manager employed with the District and will eventually transition contracted program management services to District employees.
Actual expenditures through February 28, 2023, were approximately $15.1 million.
