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FEMA runs out of money for Helene while spending hundreds of millions on migrants

By Casey Harper
The Center Square 

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters this week that FEMA does not have enough funding to last the rest of the year even as it has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on migrants under the Biden administration and more hurricanes could be on the way.

DHS oversees FEMA, putting Mayorkas in charge of the emergency relief agency which has recently been focused on helping migrants settle in the U.S.

“We are meeting the immediate needs with the money that we have,” Mayorkas told reporters. “We are expecting another hurricane hitting. FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season.”

The startling admission by Mayorkas comes as FEMA grapples with the widespread damage of Hurricane Helene, A Category 4 hurricane that ripped through the southeast costing billions of dollars, causing widespread infrastructure damage, food shortages, and more than 100 deaths. Many are still unaccounted for as well.

President Joe Biden said earlier this week he may call on Congress to pass more funding for FEMA.

In April of this year, FEMA announced $640 million in new funding, $300 million for “direct funding” to help immigrants settle in the U.S. while the other $340 million went to cities via grants for the same purpose.

“Last year, more than $780 million was awarded through SSP and the Emergency Food and Shelter Program – Humanitarian Awards, which went to organizations and cities across the country,” FEMA said in its release.

While funding is allocated by Congress and money can be flexibly funneled through FEMA from other internal sources, Mayorkas’ comments still show that FEMA’s resources have been focused on migrants while it was left unprepared for this deadly hurricane season.

Illegal immigration has soared under the Biden-Harris administration with millions of migrants entering the U.S. and overwhelming the federal government’s ability to process them, let alone catch the millions of illegal immigrants crossing the southern border.

At least 12 million illegal immigrants have entered the U.S. under the Biden-Harris administration, though many experts estimate the figure is actually much higher.

Hurricane season is expected to go through the end of November.

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Comment

David Anthony Mayer (not verified)

3 October 2024

Do not forget California wildfires are now year round. So people better be prepared for at least a week. The standard I lived by in earthquake prone California. Started with the October 17. 1989 Loma Prieta quake. If my flat was still standing, my backpacking gear was always packed before. Then 2 cases of water. A water filter was in the backpack. In the 2019 wildfire evacuation of 180,000 in four north bay counties, the earthquake kit was a large garbage can with two cases of water, a white gas stove, fuel batteries, etc. and lots of Ramen noodles. Electric was out 5 days shortly after arriving in Marin County to stay with friends. We survived cooking on the deck. Do not count on government in a disaster. You need to be ready.

Instead of evacuating to a friend's house during a fire, you could have been on a Volunteer Fire Department or something. Maybe help out a little. If you can carry a big backpack, or whatever, surely you're capable of serving on a local first responder organization.

Matthew (not verified)

4 October 2024

I have been prepared to survive California earthquakes and wildfires for decades.
1.) I live 2,300 miles from California.

Molly Hatchard (not verified)

4 October 2024

Simply part of the communist goals to brutalize all patriots of our constitutional republic. We must stand tall, together, against these evil left-wing Marxist jackbooted thugs.
If America expects to survive this political warfare, we must expel them all.

David Anthony Mayer (not verified)

4 October 2024

August, 1980 my first earthquake rocked Cincinnati from epicenter near Maysville. The east coast is also prone. The big difference between here and CA is tougher building codes. It can happen here again.

We have double digit inflation, wars in the middle east and in Europe, a threatening progressive executive branch of government, a baby boomer-caused national debt, a biased legacy news media, and too many mind-numbed sycophant lap dogs that rail against President Trump. And you bring up the New Madrid fault, 1980, and California building codes...

BOB (not verified)

4 October 2024

Sounds unbelievable, right? Using all the disaster money for immigrants. If you read the Center Square article closely it doesn't really say that but you could be fooled into thinking that. White House Deputy press secretary Andrew Bates: “No disaster relief funding at all was used to support migrants housing and services. None. At. All,” Bates said. “In fact, the funding for communities to support migrants is directly appropriated by Congress to [Customs & Border Protection], and is merely administered by FEMA. The funding is in no way related to FEMA’s response and recovery efforts.” Who do you believe? Most of you will buy the lies Trump and his people are putting out. He is so concerned about the people affected that he's using his rallies to blame immigrants for the weather. This is from the same guy who wanted to withhold aid to victims of other disasters in blue states. “There’s nobody that’s handled a hurricane or storm worse than what they’re doing right now,” Trump said. “Kamala spent all her FEMA money, billions of dollars, on housing for illegal migrants." Even though no governor has complained about not getting the help they need, Trump just can't pass up a chance to lie.
••••Publisher's note: I listened to an interview this week with Gov. Brian Kemp, who certainly had issues with the Biden-Harris response. See https://nypost.com/2024/10/03/us-news/ga-gov-brian-kemp-slams-biden-for…

David Anthony Mayer (not verified)

4 October 2024

Good points Bob. Like the debate comment on eating dogs and cats in Springfield. I see too many friends and family falling for this. Same for the earrings being microphones. I would not be surprised if Trump or Vance will say because of the millions of immigrants here, the earth's axis has shifted and the weather became more horrific. Good thing the day after the election is my local visit to a free comedy show. This week's big line from the host comedian was the mocking of Trump's usual line about any problem or issue. He uses this frequently. "I got guy". It will be awesome.

You got a good case of Trump Derangement Syndrome. You must be in the Liz Cheney wing of the Republican party. It's more like a feather than a whole wing. If you were ever a Republican or a Conservative at all.

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