Tipsheet

Here's a Reminder of What Mayorkas Had to Say About FEMA Three Months Ago

Mia Cathell
Mia Cathell  |  October 04, 2024 11:45 AM

Three months ago, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was "tremendously prepared" for hurricane season. "This is what we do. This is what they do."

Now, in the wake of Hurricane Helene, Mayorkas is complaining that FEMA is cash-strapped after the disaster response bureau spent over a billion dollars on an illegal immigrant assistance program.

Mayorkas told reporters Wednesday that FEMA does not have enough funds to make it through hurricane season after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc across the southeastern United States, claiming more than 200 lives, and as another storm looms.

It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out where FEMA's funding went.

Since late 2022, the Biden-Harris administration has spent FEMA money on the housing, travel, and care of illegal immigrants released from federal custody and awaiting immigration court proceedings, according to the agency's website. This fiscal year alone, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) pledged $640.9 million in tax dollars towards such "humanitarian" services assisting illegal aliens. A year before that, DHS doled out $363.8 million.

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Meanwhile, many Americans hit by Hurricane Helene in western North Carolina are still without water, food, or cell service.

However, the Biden-Harris admin is pushing back against the allegation, saying that the alien resettlement funding—provided through the Shelter and Services Program (SSP)—is congressionally appropriated, specifically allocated for that purpose, and "completely separate" from disaster relief funds.

"These claims are completely false..." a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital. SSP is "a completely separate, appropriated grant program that was authorized and funded by Congress and is not associated in any way with FEMA's disaster-related authorities or funding streams."

White House spokesperson Angelo Fernandez Hernandez also called the claim that FEMA money has been spent on services for illegal immigrants instead of disaster relief "false."

"The Disaster Relief Fund is specifically appropriated by Congress to prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate impacts of natural disasters. It is completely separate from other grant programs administered by FEMA for DHS."

According to a congressional report, FEMA runs SSP in partnership with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to help curb the overcrowding of short-term CBP holding facilities.

The program financially supports state and local governments dealing with the influx of illegal immigrants flooding border towns and cities in the interior like New York, a so-called "sanctuary" where the city's budgetary management office just received more than $38 million from the FEMA-administered program.

Although the funds are supposedly insufficient in the long-term, FEMA's director of public affairs Jaclyn Rothenberg said on X that the agency has the necessary resources for "immediate response and recovery" in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. However, Rothenberg added, "we need to keep a close eye" on the funding situation amid storm season, which lasts through the end of November. Citing FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, she said the FEMA head has the "full authority to spend against the President's budget."

Mayorakas, aboard Air Force One, urged lawmakers Wednesday to send FEMA more money, saying that Congress may need to pass a supplemental spending bill this fall to assist states with recovery efforts.

"On a continuing resolution, we have funds, but that is not a stable source of supply, if you will," Mayorakas said of the now-depleted coffers. "This is a multibillion-dollar, multi-year recovery."

Later on, he stressed: "We are meeting the moment, but that doesn't speak about the future and the fact, as I mentioned earlier, that these extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and severity, and we have to be funded for the sake of the American people. This is not a political issue."

Congress recently provided FEMA with $20 billion for the agency's Disaster Relief Fund. Both chambers of Congress are currently out of session until mid-November, after Election Day, as lawmakers focus on campaigning. President Joe Biden has mentioned possibly bringing Congress back from the election-related recess to pass additional funding.

A source on Capitol Hill familiar with the congressional appropriations process told Fox News that the disaster relief funding is not in immediate danger of running out.

"While we will not know the full cost of Helene until the first 30-day estimate comes in, FEMA ended last year with a little less than $2 billion (which carried over). The CR also provided them access to an additional $20.261 billion. That is roughly $22 billion in total for this fiscal year so far," the source said.

FEMA has also since issued a statement responding to the funding concerns and criticism accusing the agency of diverting much-needed disaster relief funds.

"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's statement on the funding "rumor" says.

In August, DHS announced the allocation of another $380.8 million to go towards the upkeep of illegal immigrants living in communities consumed by the Biden-Harris border crisis. These SSP grants cover costs for their food, shelter, clothing, medical treatment, and transportation, among other expenses.