Speaker of the House Mike Johnson Addressing claims that the Biden administration diverted Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds toward immigration efforts, he said the pools of money are “different” but he understands why Americans are “frustrated.”
“The funding streams are different, that’s certainly not an untrue statement,” Johnson, R-La., told Fox News’ Shannon Bream on “Fox News Sunday.” “But the problem is with the American people, see, and the thing they’re frustrated with is that FEMA should be involved. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, their mission is to help people in times of natural disaster. Not to be The Biden Administration, Kamala Harris, and Secretary Mayorkas should be engaged in using any pool of funds from any account to resettle illegal aliens who have crossed the border.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had denied this last week. FEMA Resources Were going to migrants, but cited FEMA funds for migrants in 2022.
“Former President Trump is accusing the Biden administration of using FEMA funding to support undocumented immigrants. How is the White House responding to this?”. a reporter asked during Friday’s press conference.
Despite Mayorkas’ warning, FEMA has the funds needed for ‘immediate response and recovery’
Speaker Mike Johnson sticks to his plan on government funding (Getty Images)
Jean-Pierre responded, “I mean, it’s a complete lie. It’s not true. It’s a false statement.”
Critics have compared his statement to comments he made in 2022, where he cited FEMA resources were available to illegal immigrants,
“FEMA regional administrators are meeting with city officials on site to coordinate available federal support from FEMA and other federal agencies,” Jean-Pierre told reporters at a Sept. 16, 2022 press conference.
“Funding is also available through FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter program to eligible local governments and nonprofit organizations upon request to support humanitarian relief for migrants,” he said.
FEMA has a pool of money to be used explicitly for natural disasters, while Congress called on FEMA in 2022 to disperse funds from Customs and Border Protection to assist American communities. affected by the immigration crisis,
Border Patrol picks up a group of asylum seekers at the US-Mexico border near Sasabe, Arizona, March 13, 2024. (Justin Hammel/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
FEMA’s website currently has a “Hurricane Helene: Rumor Response” page to address false claims about recovery efforts, including a rebuke of the claim that FEMA diverted disaster response funds into “limit-related issues.” Have changed.
“This is a lie. No money is being diverted from disaster response needs. FEMA’s disaster response efforts and individual assistance are funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, a dedicated fund for disaster efforts. Disaster Relief The funds have not been awarded to any other non-disaster-related effort,” FEMA posted in response to the claim.
Hurricane Helen has left more More than 220 people died in flooding that devastated towns and cities in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.
Debris is scattered on the lake after Hurricane Helene on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 in Lake Lure, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas drew national attention last week when he indicated that FEMA did not have enough money to deal with hurricane season, which typically ends in November.
Lawmakers expressed displeasure over FEMA funding concerns
“We are meeting immediate needs with the money we have. We are expecting another storm,” he said Wednesday. This has raised concerns about funding for Americans displaced by the storm. “FEMA doesn’t have the funds to cover this season.”
However, DHS said the next day that FEMA currently has the funds needed to assist those affected.
“FEMA has everything it needs for immediate response and recovery efforts,” Spokesperson Jacqueline Rothenberg but said x“As (Administrator Dean Criswell) said, he has full authority to spend from the president’s budget, but we’re not out of hurricane season yet so we need to keep a close eye on this.”
Federal government failed to act after Hurricane Helene: Rep. corey mills
Aerial view of damage after Hurricane Helene in Irvine, Tennessee. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Johnson said during his interview on Sunday that when citizens take public transportation and see illegal immigrants traveling into the country, their tickets would be “gleefully” paid for by the Biden-Harris administration through non-governmental organizations. Is.
“When you see illegal people at your local airport and you see them being transported across the country to every community, every place, every community, every state is now a border state because of it. That’s what NGOs, non- There are government organizations mostly, they are moving those people around and then they send the receipts to the federal government,” he added.
House Speaker Mike Johnson holds a news briefing in Washington, DC, on June 26, 2024. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
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“And Biden, Harris and Mayorkas happily pay those receipts as they deliberately open the border. The American people are frustrated with it. They’re fed up with it, and so are the Republicans in Congress. And it will stop. After November 5th because we are going “There will be a unified government led by Republicans and we will bring sanity back to this situation,” he said.
Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
