Trump FEMA Claim Debunked: Agency Not Running Out Of Money Because Of Migrants

 

Former President Donald Trump arrives at Valdosta Regional Airport to visit areas affected by Hurricane Helene on September 30 in Valdosta, Georgia.

Former President Donald Trump and his allies have claimed the Federal Emergency Management Agency can’t respond well enough to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene because it’s diverted so much money to helping migrants—but that’s not true, as FEMA’s funds for handling disaster relief efforts are separate from money given to immigrant communities.

Key Facts

Trump has repeatedly alleged that FEMA is having money issues because of funds spent on migrants, claiming at a rally Thursday that “Kamala spent all her FEMA money—billions of dollars—on housing for illegal migrants” and quoting Fox News host Jesse Watters as saying, “FEMA is now out of money, because Joe Biden and Kamala spent over a billion dollars of FEMA cash on migrants.”

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas did say Tuesday that FEMA’s disaster relief efforts are facing a dire cash crunch, warning that while the agency is “meeting the immediate needs” of Hurricane Helene recovery “with the money that we have,” it “does not have the funds to make it through the [hurricane] season.”

But those financial issues aren’t because of money going to migrants: While FEMA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have given more than $1 billion since the start of 2023 to communities that are taking in migrants, that’s been through the agency’s Shelter and Services Program, a totally different funding pot than the Disaster Relief Fund used to respond to hurricanes and other natural disasters.

FEMA says on its website that any claims that disaster funds were rerouted to border-related efforts are “false,” noting the Disaster Relief Fund is a dedicated fund for managing disasters and money meant for the fund “has not been diverted to other, non-disaster related efforts.”

Congress determines how much money goes to FEMA’s disaster fund, and the fund faces issues after lawmakers declined to allocate additional funding for FEMA’s efforts in the stopgap funding bill it passed last month, only extending FEMA’s existing funding level and allowing it to draw from $20 billion in funds more quickly.

Democratic lawmakers expressed concern about FEMA’s budget even before Helene hit—as FEMA had to stop funding non-emergency rebuilding efforts in order to preserve funds—and some have now called for Congress to come back from its recess to pass legislation that would give the disaster relief fund more cash.

What To Watch For

Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30 with September and October usually the busiest months, the Associated Press notes, so it’s possible another hurricane could strike by the end of the month that FEMA would struggle to respond to with its present funding levels. It remains unclear whether lawmakers will return to Washington to pass more funding before their recess ends in November. While even some Republicans have advocated for doing so—including Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Rick Scott, R-Fla., and Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., all from Helene-hit states—House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told The New York Times “there’s no necessity for Congress to come back.”

Big Number

$34 billion. That’s approximately how much Hurricane Helene’s devastation could cost, according to a projection Moody’s Analytics made Thursday, based on estimated property damage costing up to $26 billion and an estimated $5 billion to $8 billion in resulting economic losses. Those estimates are still early and are likely to change as there’s a clearer sense of the scope of the damage, Moody’s noted.

Is Kamala Harris Giving Only $750 To Hurricane Victims?

Another claim made by Trump and his allies is that Vice President Kamala Harris and the Biden administration are giving only $750 to victims of Helene’s devastation and not doing anything else. That is also false, with FEMA noting on its website that the $750 figure is specifically for Serious Needs Assistance, which is immediate aid that disaster victims can receive to pay for essential items like food, water and emergency supplies. Victims can still apply for and receive additional support from FEMA on top of that, however, such as money for temporary housing and repairs.

Key Background

Hurricane Helene has brought widespread devastation to parts of the South including North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida, with an estimated death toll so far of 215. The natural disaster has also become a political debate ahead of the presidential election, as Trump has criticized the Biden administration’s response to the disaster, often by making up false accusations. Trump claimed Monday that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp was “having a hard time getting the president on the phone” and that the “federal government is not being very responsive,” for instance, even as Kemp clarified he had spoken with Biden and the president told Kemp to call him directly if he needed further assistance. Trump has also claimed Biden and Harris “have left Americans to drown”—which is false, as the government has sent significant supplies and federal troops to affected areas—and Trump allies have pointed to the FEMA’s equity efforts to claim the agency’s “#1 goal is to be woke.” The Biden administration has strongly denounced Trump and his allies’ claims: FEMA spokesperson Jacklyn Rothenberg said the agency “help[s] all people regardless of background as fast as possible,” and Biden angrily responded to Trump’s false claims on Monday, saying the ex-president is “lying.” “The reason I get so angry about it … I care what he communicates to the people that are in need,” Biden said. “He implies that we’re not doing everything possible. We are.”