As Hurricane Helene leaves devastation across the Southeast, the Biden-Harris administration faces backlash over a staggering $640 million allocated for immigration relief while FEMA warns it lacks the funds to respond to future disasters. Critics are accusing the administration of neglecting Americans in crisis as hurricane season rages on.
The Biden-Harris administration is facing intense scrutiny over its handling of both immigration funding and disaster relief, particularly in light of the recent devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas admitted that FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, is running out of funds to respond to future storms this hurricane season, which ends November 30. However, $640 million was allocated to DHS to support illegal immigrant-related initiatives, drawing sharp criticism from Republican leaders.
“We are meeting the immediate needs with the money that we have,” Mayorkas stated, while warning that FEMA lacks the resources to sustain further disaster responses. “We are expecting another hurricane hitting. FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season.”
Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, spoke at FEMA headquarters just days ago, but the controversy over how funds have been prioritized looms large. Despite Congress approving more than $20 billion for FEMA in an emergency spending bill, questions have arisen over the use of $640 million that was earmarked for assisting illegal immigrants.
Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody criticized the administration for diverting money intended for disaster relief into immigration-related projects. “Florida’s been warning about this since this administration took over,” Moody said. “They have taken the FEMA emergency food and shelter program and over time, siphoned off hundreds of millions of dollars into basically making it an illegal immigrant resettlement program.”
The timing of these revelations is particularly problematic as Helene has left a trail of destruction across the Southeast. At least 190 people have died, and many areas, including Florida’s Big Bend region and parts of North Carolina, are still reeling from the storm’s impact. In the wake of the devastation, former President Donald Trump visited Valdosta, Georgia, delivering relief items and pledging additional aid.
Meanwhile, Vice President Harris has come under fire not just for the funding controversy but for attending a high-profile celebrity event in Los Angeles shortly after the hurricane, raising further questions about the administration’s response.
Republicans have seized on the administration’s decisions, framing them as neglecting Americans in favor of controversial immigration policies. Trump's hands-on approach in Helene’s aftermath has drawn comparisons to the administration’s response, amplifying the criticism as the 2024 election nears. With more storms potentially on the horizon, the Biden-Harris administration’s choices regarding immigration funding and disaster preparedness will continue to be a flashpoint in the political debate.
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