A political controversy has emerged following claims by Donald Trump suggesting that Americans affected by Hurricane Helene are missing out on vital emergency relief funds, which he alleges have been redirected towards migrant support.
The White House swiftly rejected these assertions, labeling them as “bold-faced lies” perpetuated by Republicans regarding disaster response funding. U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas recently indicated that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) faces funding shortages as hurricane season progresses.
Trump and his proponents voiced their concern regarding FEMA’s allocation of over $640 million for housing migrants. However, officials clarified that this funding, sanctioned by Congress, pertains to a separate program managed by FEMA that is unrelated to disaster relief operations.
With the presidential election approaching, the political landscape is heating up, particularly in critical swing states like North Carolina and Georgia, which have suffered significant damage from the hurricane. Recent polls show Trump and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in a tight race within these battleground areas.
Hurricane Helene, the deadliest hurricane to strike the mainland U.S. since Katrina in 2005, ravaged the Southeast last week, resulting in at least 225 fatalities and leaving many others unaccounted for. Both Trump and Vice President Harris have visited the affected regions.
During an event in Evans, Georgia, Trump stated, without providing evidence, that substantial funds meant for disaster relief in Georgia and North Carolina had been allocated instead to support undocumented migrants, calling it a shameful situation.
FEMA did receive a budget allocation of $640 million from Congress in the last fiscal year to assist with housing for immigrants applying for U.S. citizenship, sourced from the Customs and Border Protection agency. This funding is part of FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program, distinct from its nearly $20 billion Disaster Relief Fund designated for hurricane responsiveness.
As FEMA’s disaster relief budget expired at the end of September, the agency is currently relying on temporary funding while Congress deliberates over a new budget. In response to the controversy, FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security issued a statement refuting Trump’s claims, asserting, “This is false. No money is being diverted from disaster response needs.”
To date, FEMA has allocated over $45 million to support communities impacted by Hurricane Helene and has distributed more than 11.5 million meals and 12.6 million liters of water to those in need, with over 5,600 federal personnel actively involved in relief efforts.
In response to the ongoing situation, Trump Jr. criticized the government’s financial commitments, labeling it as “madness” to send foreign aid to Ukraine while American citizens affected by the storm are left struggling. Furthermore, critics have highlighted that during Trump’s presidency in 2019, $155 million was diverted from FEMA’s operating budget to facilitate migrant deportations to Mexico.
