President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ hurricane response crisis is expanding as conflicting reports regarding available hurricane recovery federal funds appear.
The crisis began when Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas announced funding shortages for hurricane recovery aid.
“We are meeting the immediate needs with the money that we have. We are expecting another hurricane hitting,” Mayorkas said. “FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season.”
Subsequently, the Trump campaign published information revealing FEMA recently doubled its funding for non-governmental entities providing housing assistance to immigrants apprehended by the Department of Homeland Security.
FEMA upped its financing of such entities by around $300 million, from $363.8 in 2023 to $650 million in 2024.
Now, an unearthed DHS Inspector General (IG) August report outlines how FEMA has misallocated over $7 billion in disaster relief funding (DRF) that could be used to fund current hurricane recovery efforts.
The report explains FEMA possesses “$7 billion in unliquidated funds that could potentially be returned to the Disaster Relief Fund.”
In light of the report, conservative lawmakers are demanding the Biden-Harris administration execute the necessary actions to ensure DRF is adequately replenished for hurricane recovery.
US Representative Maria Elvira-Salazar (R-FL) called the funding situation “a disaster” and urged the Biden-Harris administration to ensure Florida receives the money to recover from Hurricane Milton.
“The Biden-Harris DHS says there isn't enough money to help Americans through events like Hurricane Milton,, but even their own Inspector General said otherwise,” said Representative Salazar. “This is what happens when they spend disaster relief money on everything EXCEPT Americans who need it!”
Milton is predicted to reach Florida’s West coast in the early hours of Thursday morning as a devastating category 3 or 4 storm.
