FEMA’s spending on hurricane disasters and migrants crisis under scrutiny

KARAH RUCKER: HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY ALEJANDRO MAYORKAS SPARKED A LOT OF REACTION THIS WEEK SAYING FEMA LACKS SUFFICIENT FUNDS TO SUPPORT AMERICANS THROUGH THE REST OF THE ATLANTIC HURRICANE SEASON –

PUTTING FEMA’S EXPENDITURES UNDER THE MICROSCOPE.

HOW MUCH IT SPENDS ON NATURAL DISASTERS. AND HOW MUCH IT SPENDS ON MIGRANTS IN THE COUNTRY.

“WE ARE MEETING THE IMMEDIATE NEEDS WITH THE MONEY THAT WE HAVE. WE ARE EXPECTING ANOTHER HURRICANE HITTING. WE DO NOT HAVE THE FUNDS. FEMA DOES NOT HAVE THE FUNDS TO MAKE IT THROUGH THE SEASON.”

PRESIDENT BIDEN EMPHASIZED DURING AN OPERATIONAL BRIEFING THAT IT WILL COST BILLIONS TO RECOVER FROM THE STORM AND THAT CONGRESS MUST ENSURE STATES HAVE ADEQUATE RESOURCES. THE FUNDING SHORTAGE HAS LED TO OUTRAGE AMONG REPUBLICANS.

TEXAS GOVERNOR GREG ABBOTT SAYING – “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.

AND HOUSE REPUBLICAN JIM JORDAN SAYING –

THE BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION TOOK MORE THAN A BILLION TAX DOLLARS THAT HAD BEEN ALLOCATED TO FEMA FOR DISASTER RELIEF AND USED IT TO HOUSE ILLEGAL ALIENS. NOW, THEY’VE ABANDONED AMERICAN HURRICANE VICTIMS IN NORTH CAROLINA, GEORGIA, FLORIDA, SOUTH CAROLINA, AND TENNESSEE. 

FEMA IS RESPONDING TO THE BACKLASH –

SAYING THERE IS A SEPARATION BETWEEN FEMA MONEY FOR DISASTERS AND FEMA MONEY FOR THE MIGRANT CRISIS.

FEMA SAYING –

“NO MONEY IS BEING DIVERTED FROM DISASTER RESPONSE NEEDS. FEMA’S DISASTER RESPONSE EFFORTS AND INDIVIDUAL ASSISTANCE IS FUNDED THROUGH THE DISASTER RELIEF FUND, WHICH IS A DEDICATED FUND FOR DISASTER EFFORTS. DISASTER RELIEF FUND MONEY HAS NOT BEEN DIVERTED TO OTHER, NON-DISASTER RELATED EFFORTS.”

FEMA HAS ALREADY SPENT MORE THAN $1.4 BILLION SINCE 2022 TO ADDRESS THE ONGOING MIGRANT CRISIS.

THAT INCLUDES 640 MILLION DOLLARS FROM FEMA THIS YEAR.

THAT MONEY IS PART OF FEMA’S EMERGENCY FOOD AND SHELTER PROGRAM.

WHILE MONEY FOR HURRICANE RELIEF COMES FROM FEMA’S DISASTER RELIEF FUND.

FEMA SPENT 700 MILLION DOLLARS IN FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS OF HURRICANE BERYL ALONE – WHICH HIT TEXAS IN JULY.

PRESIDENT BIDEN SAYS ITS GOING TO TAKE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS TO HELP ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES DEVASTATED BY HURRICANE HELENE.

SOME ESTIMATES ARE AS HIGH AS 34 BILLION DOLLARS.

SO FAR – FOUR MILLION DOLLARS FROM FEMA HAS BEEN DISTRIBUTED TO FAMILIES AFFECTED BY THE STORM – 750 DOLLARS EACH FOR REIMBURSEMENT OF GROCERIES.

LAST WEEK – CONGRESS BOLSTERED FEMA’S DISASTER RELIEF FUND WITH 20 BILLION DOLLARS AS PART OF A SHORT-TERM GOVERNMENT SPENDING BILL.

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