Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who has been a political lightning rod for controversy under the Biden-Harris administration, said Monday that his claims about Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) activities are “deliberately false information.” He argued and objected.
“I've never seen anything on this level before,” he told host Jen Psaki on MSNBC. “You and I both remember when extreme weather events and natural disasters really brought people together. Unfortunately, unfortunately, frankly, now it's become politicized.”
The Department of Homeland Security and FEMA have both come under fire for their responses to Hurricane Helen, with claims that they diverted resources to illegal immigration, were slow to respond, and were underfunded.
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The division features DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and a North Carolina resident. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein | Mario Tama/Getty Images)
Much of the controversy began last week when Mayorkas said FEMA “doesn't have the money to get through the season.” He went on to say that while the agency has funding for “immediate needs,” he is concerned about the lack of stable funding. Congress recently carved out $20 billion in disaster funds, but officials want Congress to pass additional spending legislation.
Critics were quick to point to FEMA's role in distributing more than $650 million in funds to assist undocumented immigrants as part of the Shelter and Services Program (SSP). Former President Trump recently accused the Biden administration of stealing FEMA funds “for illegal immigration.”
However, the Biden administration says the money comes from Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and is appropriated by Congress as grants to local governments and nonprofits, and is completely separate from the much larger disaster relief fund. It is pointed out that it is a different thing.
“Funds are not being diverted to disaster response needs. FEMA disaster response operations and individual assistance are funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, a fund dedicated to disaster operations. “It has not been diverted for any other purpose,” FEMA said in a release this week.
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The country still faces questions from some Republican senators about whether its “engulfment” in the border crisis is affecting operational readiness.
Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) told Fox News Digital last week that the administration has “failed to respond.”
“They are desperate to cover up their own terrible mistakes and mistakes, and then try to blame others and blame the situation when it is purely a lack of leadership and responsiveness. There is an attempt,” the speaker said.
FEMA faced backlash last week after an unearthed emergency management “equity” blueprint went viral. The first goal listed as a priority for the Biden-Harris administration is to “instill equity as the foundation of crisis management.”
According to FEMA's plan, “diversity, equity, and inclusion cannot be optional.”
FEMA this week pushed back against claims that FEMA grants must be repaid, that it restricts airspace for rescue and recovery efforts, and that it distributes aid based on demographic characteristics. are. Published A fact sheet to confirm some of these claims.
Mayorkas, who was impeached by the Republican-led House this year, on Monday reiterated that help is available for those who need it and warned about the impact of misinformation.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas during a press conference at the White House on July 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Jacqueline MartinAP Photo/Jacqueline Martin)
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“What will happen is that the people affected by the natural disaster will suffer,” he said. “That creates a sense of distrust in their government, which prevents them from seeking the help they really need.”
“We are putting money in their pockets to help them address their immediate needs. These people are not getting that relief because they are receiving disinformation, intentionally false information. I’m not asking for it.”
He also said misinformation is harming employees.
This division marks the border with President Biden, Vice President Harris, and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. (Getty Images)
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“These are the people who are putting their lives on the line searching for and rescuing victims of Hurricane Helen, a historic hurricane,” he said. “I'm very sad.”
In judging his record, critics weighed in on historic crises at the southern border, including fueling controversy that has since come to light over allegations that Border Patrol agents on horseback allegedly mistreated Haitian immigrants. He points out his response.
FOX News' Liz Elkind contributed to this report.
