On Wednesday, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas set off a firestorm when he told reporters the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) “does not have the funds” to see Americans through the remainder of this Atlantic hurricane season — after draining the department’s emergency fund this year to address the overwhelming migrant crisis.
“We are meeting the immediate needs with the money that we have,” said Mayorkas during a press briefing on Air Force One en route to survey damage from Hurricane Helene in North and South Carolina.
“We are expecting another hurricane hitting,” added Mayorkas. “We do not have the funds. FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season and what is imminent.”
Critics of the administration pointed out that the Department of Homeland Security has earmarked $640.9 million this year in funds administered by FEMA to aid local and state governments dealing with the influx of asylum seekers.
“This is easy. Mayorkas and FEMA — immediately stop spending money on illegal immigration resettlement and redirect those funds to areas hit by the hurricane. Put Americans first,” Texas GOP Governor Greg Abbott posted on X Wednesday.
“Yeah! Elon Musk, owner of X and CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, added.
Abbott is a leading critic of Mayorkas’ mass parole of asylum seekers into the United States following President Joe Biden’s removal of President Donald Trump’s “Remain in Mexico” policy — with Gov. Abbott busing migrants to Democrat-led jurisdictions including New York City, which forced local budget cutbacks to house them.
The DHS allocated $780 million for last year’s migrant crisis through the FEMA Shelter and Services Program and the FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter Program.
A relatively minuscule $4 million has been paid directly to individuals and families in the week since Hurricane Helene devastated the Southeast and killed at least 2020 individuals, causing severe flooding damage from North Carolina to Florida, said Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary, Thursday.
Those funds are from a $10 million FEMA allocation that allows storm victims to receive grants of $750 to purchase groceries.
Biden sparks outrage by saying Congress must ensure states have what they need
On Wednesday, during an operational briefing on Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, Biden said, “It’s going to cost billions of dollars to deal with this storm and all the communities affected. And Congress has an obligation to ensure the states have the resources they need.”
Biden’s comments ignited outrage among congressional Republicans who aren’t due back in D.C. until after Election Day.
“FEMA spending over a billion dollars on illegals while they leave Americans stranded and without help is treasonous. U.S. citizens are dying. Pray for our country, folks,” GOP Representative Tim Burchett of Tennessee tweeted.
Republican Representative Eli Crane of Arizona added: “The Biden-Harris FEMA spent over $1 BILLION on funding illegal aliens. America LAST.”
“Connect the dots, if you can,” Tim Murtaugh, adviser to former President Donald Trump’s campaign, wrote. “DHS says FEMA might not have enough cash to help people through hurricane season. But in 2 years of a new Biden-Harris program, they’ve spent $1 BILLION on housing and other services for migrants.”
