False claims that federal emergency disaster cash was given to migrants within the U.S. illegally have unfold rapidly in current days, boosted by former President Donald Trump and a few of his most high-profile supporters.
Trump repeated one of many extra excessive baseless allegations throughout a rally Thursday in Saginaw, Michigan, saying that the cash had been stolen.
“They stole the FEMA money, just like they stole it from a bank, so they could give it to their illegal immigrants that they want to have vote for them this season,” Trump stated.
Trump and his allies seem like conflating two completely different funds. FEMA has devoted disaster reduction cash that can't be used for different functions. Separately, it was tasked by Congress in 2022 to disseminate cash from Customs and Border Protection to assist communities that obtained influxes of migrants.
The false claims have gained vital traction amongst Trump supporters and conservative media since Wednesday, when Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated the company would wish more cash for the remainder of the hurricane season and Helene restoration, and known as for a secure supply of dependable funds.
On its specifically dedicated fact check page, FEMA responded to the declare that disaster reduction was “diverted to support international efforts or border related issues.”
“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,” FEMA stated in its put up. “Disaster Relief Fund money has not been diverted to other, non-disaster related efforts.”
FEMA added: “FEMA has enough money right now for immediate response and recovery needs. If you were affected by Helene, do not hesitate to apply for disaster assistance as there is a variety of help available for different needs.”
FEMA did administer $640 million in grants from Customs and Border Protection in 2024 and about $364 million in 2023 to cities and counties that serve migrants. However, that program known as the Shelter and Services Program, or SSP, is separate from FEMA’s disaster reduction fund which is greater than $20 billion.
The SSP was created in 2022 when cities had been struggling to cope with influxes of migrants. That identical yr, Congress directed Customs and Border Protection to switch $800 million to FEMA to help cities sheltering migrants. The cash was transferred to FEMA and, as with many different federal grant applications FEMA managed the distribution of the grants.
For 2023 and 2024 SSP funds got to cities like Denver, Chicago and Philadelphia, in addition to to nonprofit organizations like Catholic Charities and The Salvation Army.
It is unlawful for funding that's appropriated by Congress for one function to be diverted and used for one more function.
Disaster funds are separate and used to direct, coordinate, handle and fund eligible response and restoration efforts related to home main disasters and emergencies.
Through these funds, FEMA can fund approved federal disaster help actions in addition to eligible state, territorial, tribal, and native actions corresponding to offering emergency safety and particles removing.
A spokesperson for Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, stated any claims of disaster funds going to unlawful immigrants are false.
“As Secretary Mayorkas said, FEMA has the necessary resources to meet the immediate needs associated with Hurricane Helene and other disasters,” the spokesperson stated. “The Shelter and Services Program (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.”
Efforts to make clear the funding have carried out little to stymie a battery of claims about FEMA and migrants which have spanned from deceptive and missing context to completely false. Some, like Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, falsely claimed on X that FEMA had used disaster funds to deal with migrants and that the federal government had “abandoned” exhausting hit areas. X proprietor Elon Musk, amongst Trump’s most vocal backers, reposted Jordan’s false declare and quite a lot of others about FEMA.
Part of the difficulty for FEMA comes from the dearth of a constant federal price range. Congress has been funding the federal authorities with not less than 4 short-term spending payments within the final yr referred to as persevering with resolutions as a substitute of a yr’s price of funds. Its final appropriations invoice, handed and signed in March, funded the federal government by September.
“We have the immediate needs right now on a continuing resolution. We have funds, but that is not a stable source of supply, if you will. This is a multibillion-dollar, multiyear recovery, the magnitude of a billion, multibillion-dollar undertaking and a multiyear undertaking,” Mayorkas informed reporters on Air Force One, noting that total cities have disappeared.
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre informed reporters Thursday that President Joe Biden had overseen over $45 million supplied to these straight affected by Hurricane Helene. So far 245,000 individuals have utilized for monetary help from FEMA based on the company.
Undocumented immigrants aren't eligible for FEMA money help applications, based on the FEMA web site.
Mayorkas did say that with the expectation that one other hurricane will make landfall this season, FEMA doesn't have sufficient to cowl the anticipated injury.
“We are expecting another hurricane hitting. We do not have the funds. FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season and what — what is imminent,” he stated.
