SAN DIEGO — Local migrant services groups are urging San Diego County leaders to collaborate with those working directly with migrants on the ground before deciding how to spend its recent $19.6 million allocation from the federal government.

The grant is part of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Shelter and Services Program, or SSP, which provides funds to non-federal entities that provide shelter and other eligible services to migrants.

Typically, SSP funds are allocated to entities in border communities that are doing the bulk of the work to provide assistance to asylum seekers locally. The funds aren't provided upfront but are rather reimbursed to entities later.

But because the county doesn't currently have its own shelter operations, it still needs to determine how it would spend its funding allocation. The county has until Friday to come up with a plan and submit its application to FEMA.

Migrant advocacy groups say the funds could not come at a better time, as the region has seen an increase in asylum seekers arriving at its southern border since last fall and local leaders have been calling for federal assistance to mitigate the release of migrants on local streets.

In the past month alone, 23,000 people seeking asylum were released onto San Diego County streets, according to advocacy organizations. About 99 percent of migrants spend only a short time in the county before moving on to their final destinations.

Now, as the county works to determine where the funds will go, nonprofits are asking to have a seat at the table and be a part of the solution.

"It is our expectation that we're able to think through a regional plan that hopefully gets to a place of avoiding street releases," said Kate Clark, senior director of immigration services for Jewish Family Service of San Diego, "but in order to do that, the organizations that are closest to the work really need to inform the county how they can put forth a plan to the federal government to use these funds."

In addition to the $19.6 million allocated to the county this fiscal year, Catholic Charities' San Diego branch also received $19.6 million — which it will split equally with Jewish Family Service — for a total of $39.2 million to fund migrant services in the region.

County officials are not sure yet whether they'd use the funding to begin bringing to life a plan approved by the Board of Supervisors in February to open a permanent migrant center and shelter.

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