According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, no money meant for disaster assistance has been utilized to finance initiatives aimed at stopping illegal immigration. However, former President Donald Trump has made up a story alleging that the Biden administration “stole” funds meant for storm relief and used them to pay for housing for undocumented immigrants. On October 3, FEMA stated,
“This is false,” on its “rumor response” website.
“No funds are being taken away from the necessities for disaster response. The Catastrophe Relief Fund, a specifically designated fund for catastrophe initiatives, provides funding for FEMA’s individual aid and disaster response activities. Funds from the Disaster Relief Fund have not been used for non-disaster-related initiatives.
Fact-checking the validity of the claim
At a rally in Michigan, Trump refuted this assertion that same day, citing the actions of Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden in response to Hurricane Helene’s destruction of numerous southeastern states. Nobody has ever managed a hurricane or storm worse than what they are doing today, according to Trump.
“Kamala spent billions of dollars all of her FEMA funds on housing for undocumented immigrants, many of whom had no business being in our nation.”
He continued by asserting in his remarks that the administration “stole the FEMA money, just like they stole it from a bank, so they could give it to the illegal immigrants that they want to vote for them this season,” which is why they were unable to provide hurricane relief to affected states and residents. Following the correction of his false information by FEMA and news media, Trump persisted in making similar statements during public appearances. For example, Trump claimed that the federal government cannot assist citizens in North Carolina, one of the most impacted areas, because “we’re missing a billion dollars they gave… to the migrants that came in, and now we don’t have the money” at a town hall on October 4.
Official responses to Trump’s statement
To be clear, there is no proof that any funds intended for disaster assistance are “missing,” and federal law forbids noncitizens from lawfully casting ballots in federal elections. FEMA states on its page that “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,” in response to speculations regarding hurricane relief. Alejandro Mayorkas, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, sent a warning to Trump that FEMA, a DHS department, would not have enough funds to survive through the end of the hurricane season, which began on June 1 and ends on November 30.
“We are meeting the immediate needs with the money that we have,”
Mayorkas said. We anticipate another hurricane making landfall. We lack the necessary money. FEMA lacks the resources necessary to survive the current season and what is coming next.”
Impact of the false claim on public perception
This is when Trump started making fraudulent financing assertions. During a news conference on October 2, Mayorkas was asked if he was satisfied with the amount of assistance FEMA is presently providing for recovery work and if Congress would need to approve more financing.
Fact | Detail |
Synopsis of the False Statement | Fact-checkers have refuted these statements, and there is insufficient evidence to support them. |
Specifics of the Purported Theft | The allegation of misappropriation was not supported by any information or evidence in the lawsuit. |
Evaluating the Claim’s Facts | The assertion has been determined to be untrue and deceptive due to the dearth of evidence supporting the theft of disaster relief monies. |
Official Reactions | Both party officials advised the public to use independently verified sources when learning about federal spending. |
Effect on Public Opinion | News organizations emphasized the necessity for factual information while pointing out that Trump’s claim was unsupported by any proof. |
History of disaster relief funding under Trump
He continued by saying that although the agency now has funds for “the immediate needs,” “that is not a stable source of supply, if you will,” due to an ongoing budget resolution. This will be “a multibillion-dollar, multiyear recovery,”
he said. As Mayorkas stated, Congress has not yet approved funding legislation for DHS and other federal departments for the fiscal year 2025, which started on October 1; therefore, the federal government is presently running on a continuing budget resolution. Biden signed a stopgap budget package in September that provides money for the government through December 20. Although the continuing resolution allocated over $20 billion for disaster assistance, an FEMA financial analysis suggested that funding would not last until January, according to E&E News. Congress decided not to add any more money for disaster aid when they approved the temporary bill last month.
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The New York Center for Foreign Policy Affairs (NYCFPA) is a policy, research, and educational organization headquartered in New York State with an office in Washington D.C. NYCFPA is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan, institution devoted to conducting in-depth research and analysis on every aspect of American foreign policy and its impact around the world. The organization is funded by individual donors. The organization receives no corporate or government donations.