Trump and Republicans panic about migrants as FEMA hurricane funding shortfall looms

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters on Wednesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency does not have enough resources to get through hurricane season and that things are not going well for Republicans both in and out of Congress.

Exuberant lawmakers and right-wing commentators echoed the Department of Homeland Security’s decision last year to allocate $640 million in FEMA-administered funds to help state and local governments deal with the recent influx of migrants and asylum seekers the allocation of funds is responsible for the deficit.

“Kamala spent all of her FEMA money — billions of dollars — on housing illegal immigrants,” former President Donald Trump told a rally crowd in Saginaw, Michigan.

“They stole the FEMA money just like they stole it from a bank to give to their illegal immigrants who they want to vote for them,” he added. (Undocumented immigrants cannot vote in U.S. elections, and attempts by them to do so are extremely rare.)

“Mayorkas and FEMA – immediately stop spending money on relocating illegal immigrants and redirect those funds to hurricane-affected areas,” tweeted Texas Governor Greg Abbott. “Put Americans first.”

Doug Mills/The New York Times via Getty Images

“I HAVE PEOPLE WHO HAVE DIED IN MY CIRCLE AND FEMA HAS GIVEN ILLEGAL FUNDING TO THEM,” said Rep. Anna Paulina Luna on X.

The $640 million earmarked for migrant humanitarian services in fiscal year 2024 was authorized by Congress for FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program, an entirely separate initiative unrelated to the agency’s disaster relief program.

“The Shelter and Services Program (SSP) is an entirely separate, dedicated grant program authorized and funded by Congress and is in no way affiliated with FEMA’s disaster authorities or funding streams,” a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson said NewsweekHe called the Republicans’ claims “completely false.”

Funds allocated to caring for asylum seekers also make up about 2 percent of FEMA’s annual budget, which is typically in the billions of dollars. Its total gross budget for 2023 was just under $30 billion. For this fiscal year, which began on October 1st, the agency requested $33.1 billion Newsweek.

Furthermore, it was Republicans in Congress who have repeatedly voted to cut FEMA funding – and the Republican-led House of Representatives currently controls FEMA’s spending and budget. Just last week, the Hill’s “most conservative fiscal hawks” forced congressional leaders to scrap a bipartisan continuing resolution that would block the government from almost all additional funding, including disaster funds for FEMA, according to Politico’s E&E News.

One of those hawks was Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), who voted against the resolution just days before Hurricane Helene made landfall in his state on Thursday evening. Since then, the storm has wreaked havoc across the Southeast and claimed more than 160 lives, with the death toll expected to rise.

“I would have thought that disaster funding would have been one of the starting points if you were going to do something,” Rep. Mark Amodei (R-NV), chairman of the House Homeland Security Subcommittee, told the outlet. He said he was surprised by the change. “I have no idea how they got there.”

According to the Associated Press, the continuing resolution actually provided an additional $20 billion for the agency, and the bill allows FEMA to access the funds more quickly if needed. But Mayorkas said that while the agency has enough to meet its immediate needs, its ability to fund itself in the future is doubtful.

“With the money we have we cover immediate needs. “We expect another hurricane,” he said. “FEMA does not have the resources to get through the season.”

Hurricane season lasts until the end of November. According to initial estimates from experts, Helene’s disaster relief alone could cost the government up to $34 billion.