Speaker Johnson Addressed Claims That FEMA Diverted Funds for Immigration Efforts: ‘Americans Are Disgusted’

House Speaker Mike Johnson has addressed claims that the Biden administration has diverted Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds to immigration efforts, stating that the funding pools are “different,” but he understands why Americans are “frustrated.”

“The funding streams are different, that’s obviously not an untrue statement,” Johnson, R-La., told Fox News’ Shannon Bream on “Fox News Sunday.” “But the problem is with the American people, and what frustrates them is that FEMA should be involved. Federal Emergency Management Agency, its mission is to help people in times like natural disasters. engaged in using any pool of funds from any account to resettle illegal aliens who have crossed the border. This is what the Biden administration, Kamala Harris, and Secretary Mayorkas have engaged in.”

Last week, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre denied this FEMA Resources they were going to migrants, but they cited FEMA funds for migrants in 2022.

“Former President Trump accuses the Biden administration of using FEMA funds to support illegal immigrants. How does the White House respond to this?” – asked a reporter during Friday’s press conference.

Fema has the funds needed for an “immediate response and recovery” despite Mayorka’s warning

“I mean, it’s just categorically false. This is not true. This is a false statement,” Jean-Pierre replied.

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Critics have since compared her statement to comments from 2022 in which she mentioned that FEMA resources were available to undocumented immigrants.

“FEMA regional administrators have been meeting on the ground with city officials to coordinate – to coordinate available federal support from FEMA and other federal agencies,” Jean-Pierre told reporters at a press conference on September 16, 2022.

“Funding is also available through the FEMA Emergency Food and Shelter program to eligible local governments and nonprofit organizations upon request to support humanitarian assistance to migrants,” she added.

FEMA has a pool of funds specifically used for natural disasters, while Congress has called on FEMA in 2022 to distribute funds from Customs and Border Protection to help American communities affected by the immigration crisis.

Kjp heavily criticized after Hurricane Helene amid mixed messages on whether Fema resources are being used for migrants

FEMA’s website currently has a “Hurricane Helene: Responding to Rumors” page that provides responses to false claims about recovery efforts, including a rebuke to the claim that FEMA diverted funds from disaster response to “related issues.” with borders.”

“That’s not true. No money is allocated for disaster response needs. FEMA’s disaster response and individual assistance activities are funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster response. “Money from the Disaster Relief Fund has not been diverted for other, non-disaster related purposes,” FEMA published in response to the claim.

Hurricane Helene killed more than 220 people after flooding devastated towns in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas drew national attention last week by pointing out that FEMA does not have enough resources to get through hurricane season, which usually ends in November.

Lawmakers outrage over Fema funding concerns

“We meet the most urgent needs with the money we have. We expect another hurricane to hit,” he said Wednesday, adding to concerns about funding for Americans displaced by the hurricane. “FEMA does not have the resources to get through the season.”

However, the next day, DHS reported that FEMA had the resources needed to assist those currently affected by the disease.

“FEMA has everything it needs to respond immediately and take corrective action,” spokeswoman Jaclyn Rothenberg he said further X. “As (Administrator Deanne Criswell) said, she has full authority to spend in the president’s budget, but hurricane season is not over yet, so we have to watch it closely.”

Federal government ‘failed to act’ on Hurricane Helene aftermath: MP Cory Mills

During Sunday’s interview, Johnson said that when citizens use public transportation and spot undocumented immigrants traveling around the country, their tickets are “happily” paid for by the Biden-Harris administration through non-governmental organizations.

“When you see illegal immigrants at your local airport and you see them being transported across the country on planes, trains and cars to every community, everywhere, for that reason every state is now a border state. These are non-governmental organizations, non-governmental organizations mainly transport these people and then send the bills to the federal government,” he continued.

“And Biden, Harris and Mayorkas are happy to pay those revenues because they are intentionally opening the border. The American people are disgusted by this. They are fed up with it, and so are Republicans in Congress. And it will end after November 5. because we will have a united government led by Republicans and we will restore common sense to this situation,” he added.

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Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

Original article source: Speaker Johnson Addressed Claims That FEMA Diverted Funds for Immigration Efforts: ‘Americans Are Disgusted’