Biden admin under fire as FEMA lacks funds for Hurricane Helene after spending billions on migrants

Many criticized FEMA for spending $640 million on migrant support in 2024, arguing that those funds should have been redirected to help Americans
UPDATED OCT 4, 2024
The Biden administration faced significant criticism as FEMA reported a funding shortage for disaster relief after Hurricane Helene (Getty Images)
The Biden administration faced significant criticism as FEMA reported a funding shortage for disaster relief after Hurricane Helene (Getty Images)

RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA: The federal disaster response agency is facing financial challenges in aiding Americans affected by Hurricane Helene due to the significant funds spent on undocumented migrants.

In the past two years, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has allocated over $1 billion in taxpayer funds to assist migrants with housing needs specifically.

In this aerial view, vehicles drive through flood waters after Hurricane Helene hit the area as it passed offshore on September 27, 2024 in Crystal River, Florida. Hurricane Helene made landfall Thursday night in Florida's Big Bend with winds up to 140 mph and storm surges. (Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Hurricane Helene hit Crystal River, Florida leaving the area and surrounding regions flooded (Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Criticism mounts as FEMA lacks funds for Hurricane relief 

Currently, no funds are available to assist 150,000 American citizens seeking federal aid after Hurricane Helene impacted their homes., as per Daily Mail.

"FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season," On Wednesday, October 2, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas acknowledged the situation.

U.S. President Joe Biden meets with members of his cabinet as they meet about the ongoing response efforts to Hurricane Helene in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on October 1, 2024 in Washington, DC. President Biden will travel to North and South Carolina this week in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which after hitting Florida's Gulf Coast as a Category 4 hurricane, tore through Georgia and the Blue Ridge Mountains, causing landslides, road washouts, and widespread outages. (Photo by Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)
US President Joe Biden met with members of his cabinet about the ongoing response efforts to Hurricane Helene (Kent Nishimura/Getty Images)

Last week, Congress approved an additional $20 billion funding bill in anticipation of hurricane season. However, this may not be enough as Hurricane Helene devastated Appalachia and the South, claiming nearly 200 lives, with more storms on the horizon.



 

This has provoked lawmakers, perplexed by the taxpayer-funded agency allocating billions to nonprofits assisting illegal migrants.

FEMA received $640 million for migrant support in fiscal year 2024, sparking growing indignation over its refusal to redirect those funds to disaster relief for American citizens.

"Mayorkas and FEMA - immediately stop spending money on illegal immigration resettlement and redirect those funds to areas hit by the hurricane," Texas Gov Greg Abbott posted on X. "Put Americans first."



 

"WTF!" Donald Trump Jr responded on a platform to a report regarding FEMA's depletion of funds.



 

Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody also criticized the federal department for placing migrants' needs before those of Americans.

"They have taken the FEMA emergency food and shelter program and over time siphoned off hundreds of millions of dollars into basically making it an illegal immigrant resettlement program," she said on Thursday, October 3.



 

Bipartisan criticism grows over DHS Management and FEMA funding

DEL RIO, TX - SEPTEMBER 17: Migrants, mostly from Haiti, gather at a makeshift encampment under the
Numerous Republicans, along with some Democrats, publicly criticized Mayorkas' management of the DHS, claiming that he prioritizes aiding migrants' entry into the US (Getty Images) 

Earlier this year, the House of Representatives impeached Mayorkas over his handling of the US-Mexico border, where authorities, according to lawmakers, encountered over 10 million migrants during his tenure—a record figure.

Numerous Republicans, along with some Democrats, have publicly criticized his management of the Department of Homeland Security, asserting that he prioritizes aiding migrants' entry into the US over enforcing laws that limit illegal immigration.

"We are meeting the immediate needs with the money that we have," Mayorkas said on Wednesday. "We are expecting another hurricane hitting."



 

"Mayorkas says FEMA doesn't have enough money to make it through hurricane season, but apparently it had enough to spend $1B resettling illegal aliens into the US over the past few years," on Thursday, Rep Eric Burlison, R-Mo, issued a statement.

He added, "That's the Biden/Harris admin summed up in a nutshell. They put Americans last, always."



 

Iowa Republican Representative Ashley Hinson posted on X, "FEMA shouldn't be able to spend taxpayer funds to support illegal immigrants & perpetuate the border crisis created by Biden & Harris. The agency should be solely focused on disaster relief & keeping Americans safe. Harris & Biden always put illegals over Americans. Disgraceful."



 

Tennessee Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn recently made a similar post on X, "Under the direction of the Biden-Harris admin, FEMA has been siphoning more than $1B in taxpayer dollars meant for disaster relief to support illegal aliens. Even in the face of massive destruction and heartbreak in our communities, this administration puts America last."



 

Rep Mark Alford of Missouri, a Republican, criticized the situation where migrants are taking up residences that could potentially be used to shelter Americans affected by the disaster, "Let this sink in: Millions of illegal immigrants are occupying homes that could be used to house American victims devastated by Hurricane Helene. This is the Harris-Biden America."



 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.

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