by Robert Schmad
Over the past two fiscal years, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has allocated more than $1 billion to the migrant assistance program, but is now running out of disaster relief funds as Hurricane Helene and more storms approach.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Wednesday that FEMA does not have enough resources to get through hurricane season, Associated Press reported. Although resources for Americans displaced by Helene are running out, the agency has spent heavily on a program that provides “humanitarian services to noncitizen migrants” after they are released from Department of Homeland Security custody.
FEMA provided funds through the Shelter and Services Program, sending money to facilitate city, counties AND states Data shows that they are struggling with a migration crisis. Shelter, food, transportation, emergency medical care and personal hygiene products are among the goods and services provided to migrants through FEMA funds.
Congress and the Biden-Harris administration allocated funds to FEMA specifically for the shelter and services program, According to to federal documents.
“Let’s come on and point out the obvious, which is that FEMA has used the huge majority of the staff that should have been here to deal with this matter, to be replaced or reused for immigration resettlement purposes, when we need to focus on Americans, regardless whether it’s Maui or Palestine or Ohio or Florida or North Carolina or Tennessee,” Florida Republican Cory Mills he said according to the Washington Examiner on Wednesday.
It is unclear how many FEMA employees work on the shelter and services program, although a significant amount of funding allocated to the agency has gone toward migrant resettlement efforts. FEMA spent $363.8 million on its immigration program in fiscal year 2023 and allocated $650 million for fiscal year 2024, According to to the agency.
At least 191 people were confirmed dead in the Helene accident as of Thursday morning, and vast swathes of the southeastern United States are without power, CNN reports reported. Damage caused by the storm could reach up to $35 billion, According to according to estimates by the reinsurance company Gallagher Re.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration specified in August that America should be prepared for an “extremely active hurricane season,” which could see four to seven major hurricanes, as well as several additional, less severe storms, between June 1 and November 30.
“We expect another hurricane to hit,” Mayorkas said. “FEMA does not have the resources to get through the season.”
Under the Biden-Harris administration, FEMA has placed greater emphasis on “climatic resistance,“racial justice.” training AND financing diversity, equity and inclusion research.
There have been more than 8 million encounters at the southern border since President Joe Biden took office, According to to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Migrants have placed a financial burden on many areas where they have settled, including vast cities such as New York AND Chicago.
FEMA did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.
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Robert Schmad is a reporter for the Daily Caller News Foundation.
Photo “Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA Employees” by Federal Emergency Management Agency FEMA.
