House Speaker Mike Johnson addressed allegations that the Biden administration diverted Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds toward immigration efforts, saying the funds are “different,” but that he understands why Americans are “frustrated.”
“The funding streams are different, of course that’s not a false 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. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, their mission is to help people in times like this of natural disaster. Not to be committed to using “any funding fund from any account to resettle illegal aliens who have crossed the border. That’s what the Biden administration, Kamala Harris and Secretary Mayorkas have been involved in.”
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre denied last week that FEMA Resources They were going to immigrants, but they cited FEMA funds for immigrants in 2022.
“Former President Trump is accusing the Biden administration of using FEMA funds to support undocumented immigrants. How is the White House responding to that?” a reporter asked during a news conference Friday.
FEMA NEEDS FUNDS FOR ‘IMMEDIATE RESPONSE AND RECOVERY’, DESPITE MAYORKAS WARNING
President Mike Johnson remains steadfast in his plan on government funding. (Getty Images)
“I mean, it’s categorically false. It’s not true. It’s a false statement,” Jean-Pierre responded.
Critics have since compared his statement to comments made in 2022, where he cited that FEMA resources were available to illegal immigrants.
“FEMA regional administrators have been meeting with city officials on the ground 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 FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter program for eligible local governments and nonprofit organizations that request it to support humanitarian aid for migrants,” he added.
FEMA has a pool of funds that is explicitly used for natural disasters, while Congress called on FEMA in 2022 to distribute Customs and Border Protection funds to help American communities. affected by the migration crisis.
KJP criticized after Hurricane Helene for conflicting messages on whether to use FEMA resources for immigrants
Border Patrol picks up a group of asylum seekers at the U.S.-Mexico border near Sasabe, Arizona, on March 13, 2024. (Justin Hamel/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
FEMA’s website currently has a “Hurricane Helene: Response to Rumors” page to address false claims about recovery efforts, including a rebuke of the claim that FEMA diverted disaster response funds to “border-related issues.” .
“This is false. No money is being diverted from disaster response needs. FEMA’s disaster response efforts and individual assistance are funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a fund dedicated to relief efforts. Disaster Relief Fund money has not been diverted to other, non-disaster-related efforts,” FEMA posted in response to the claim.
Hurricane Helene has left more than 220 people dead after flooding devastated towns and cities in Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.
Debris is scattered in the lake after Hurricane Helene, Wednesday, Oct. 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 does not have enough funds to get through the hurricane season, which normally ends in November.
LAWYERS OUTRAGED BY CONCERNS OVER FEMA FUNDING
“We are meeting immediate needs with the money we have. We expect another hurricane to come,” he said Wednesday, raising concerns about funding for Americans displaced by the hurricane. “FEMA doesn’t have the funds to get through the season.”
DHS, however, said the next day that FEMA has the funds needed to help those currently affected.
“FEMA has what it needs for immediate response and recovery efforts,” said spokeswoman Jaclyn Rothenberg. said in X. “How [Administrator Deanne Criswell] “He has full authority to spend from the President’s budget, but we’re not through hurricane season yet, so we need to keep a close eye on him.”
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ‘DID NOT ACT’ AFTER HURRICANE HELENE: REP. CORY MILLS
An aerial view of the damage caused by Hurricane Helene in Erwin, Tennessee. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Johnson said during his interview on Sunday that when citizens take public transportation and spot illegal immigrants traveling through the country, the Biden-Harris administration “gladly” pays for their tickets through non-governmental organizations.
“When you see illegals at your local airport and you see them being transported across the country on planes, trains and cars to every community, everywhere, every state is now a border state, that’s why. Those are the NGOs, the non-governmental organizations mainly, who transport those people and then send the receipts to the federal government,” he continued.
House Speaker Mike Johnson holds a press conference in Washington, DC, on June 26, 2024. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
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“And Biden, Harris and Mayorkas happily pay those bills because they intentionally open the border. The American people are disgusted by this. They are sick of it, as are Republicans in Congress. And it will end after November 5. because we are going to have a unified government with Republicans in charge, and we will bring sanity back to this situation,” he added.
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Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.
