FEMA Chief Rebuts Trump's Claims of Migrant Fund Diversion
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell has refuted claims that the organization is short on disaster relief funds due to money being spent on undocumented immigrants....
Facts
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell has refuted claims that the organization is short on disaster relief funds due to money being spent on undocumented immigrants.[1][2][3]
- This comes after former Pres. Donald Trump claimed at a rally in Michigan that FEMA was out of money because it had been sending 'billions of dollars to foreign countries that most people have never heard of.'[4]
- Last week, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated that FEMA — which received $640M from Congress in the last fiscal year to provide housing to immigrants — didn't have enough money to make it through the hurricane season.[5]
- Terming the accusations 'completely false,' Criswell said that over 3.4K personnel from federal agencies have been assisting people devastated by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina alone.[6]
- FEMA has set up a dedicated fact-check page to counter the allegations, stating that its Shelter and Services Program — which provides support for migrants — isn't associated with its disaster-related funding streams.[7]
- This development comes as the death toll from Hurricane Helene has passed 225, making it the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland US since Hurricane Katrina in 2005.[8]
Sources: [1]FOX News, [2]Metaculus, [3]Fema, [4]NPR Online News, [5]BBC News, [6]The Hill, [7]Newsweek and [8]Daily Wire.
Narratives
- Pro-establishment narrative, as provided by ABC News. FEMA is enduring unjust criticism and dangerous rhetoric that has only emerged because of Trump putting politics ahead of helping people. The claims about funds being diverted to migrants are ridiculous and untrue. This misinformation only works to sow fear amongst FEMA employees and demoralize first responders who are working tirelessly to help those in need.
- Establishment-critical narrative, as provided by Breitbart. The Biden-Harris administration has fallen short in disaster response efforts. FEMA's refusal to enter certain areas due to road closure signs and the shutdown of private rescue efforts demonstrate the organization's incompetence. The administration has prioritized photo ops over effective disaster relief, while the media is providing muted coverage compared to the scrutiny any GOP administration would face.
