By Dale Wilcox
As the Southeastern U.S. has been devastated by two major hurricanes, the costs of the Biden Administration’s self-inflicted illegal immigration crisis continue to be exposed.
Hurricane Helene caused devastation throughout the region, decimating areas in Georgia, Florida, and North Carolina, and displacing many of its residents. American citizens have lost their homes, their life’s work, and are without access to shelter and food. Some residents remain missing. The agency charged with helping these Americans is the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which is supposed to coordinate and assist recovery efforts on behalf of the federal government. Yet, in recent years, this agency has been focused on other priorities.
Since the fall of 2022, FEMA has spent more than $1.4 billion caring for illegal aliens and the panicked agency now says they’re running out of money. Of course, spending billions on illegal aliens when your own people’s homes are destroyed by a natural disaster is a public relations nightmare, so the Biden Administration has responded by pretending it’s not happening.
“It’s just categorically false. No, Biden did not take FEMA relief money to use to use on migrants,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said during a recent press conference.
However, Jean-Pierre’s denials are contradicted by statements she made in 2022 as another hurricane ravaged the Southeast.
“FEMA regional administrators have been meeting with city officials on site to coordinate available federal support from FEMA and other federal agencies. Funding is also available through FEMA’s emergency food and shelter program to eligible local governments and non-for-profit organizations upon request to support humanitarian relief for migrants,” she said at the time.
So, there you have it. The Biden Administration has spent years prioritizing illegal aliens over Americans, and now U.S. citizens are struggling to get the relief they desperately need while the White House washes its hands of all responsibility. The administration’s allies in the press have attempted to obfuscate this reality with phony fact checks and talking points, claiming that since the funding for illegal aliens came from a different part of the agency, this means that those complaining about the agency spending money on illegal aliens have it all wrong. This is false for many reasons.
First of all, money is fungible. Federal agencies receive a certain amount of money from Congress each year and hold wide discretion over how they spend it. Money can easily be moved around during times of emergencies and the more than $1.4 billion FEMA has spent on illegal aliens would certainly be useful to help displaced Americans right now. This year alone, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded $640 million to FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program “for services associated with noncitizen migrant arrivals in their communities.”
How much could the displaced residents of Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina use an influx of $640 million right now? At almost any other point in American history, an administration lavishing funds on illegal aliens while pinching pennies for Americans affected by a natural disaster would be a massive scandal. Instead, the corporate media is running interference to protect the ruling authorities from criticism over their disgraceful dereliction of duty. The response to this hurricane has been a tremendous failure on the part of the federal government despite current attempts to obfuscate this truth.
Just months ago, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said FEMA was “tremendously prepared” to handle hurricane season, but now claims the agency is out of money. Either Mayorkas and DHS were lying about being ready for hurricane season, or they were too busy funneling money to illegal aliens to adequately prepare. It’s hard to tell which is worse. Regardless, this latest flop is not surprising. The Biden Administration has made clear since its first day in office that foreign nationals come first and U.S. citizens come last.
This is an administration which has allowed more than 10 million illegal aliens to cross the border in less than four years despite having the power to put a stop to it at any time. This has imposed tremendous costs on American taxpayers at the federal, state, and local level. Is it any surprise that in their hour of need, the money has now dried up?
The Biden White House can lie and deflect all they want, but there is no legitimate reason for an agency tasked with assisting Americans through national disasters to lavish more than $1.4 billion on foreign nationals who have crossed our border illegally. That they did so should be considered a historic scandal and a massive failure.
Dale L. Wilcox is executive director and general counsel for the Immigration Reform Law Institute, a public interest law firm working to defend the rights and interests of the American people from the negative effects of mass migration.
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.
Biden is such as ASS. Deport the illegals and take care of Americans. More reason I will NEVER vote for another Demoncrat as long as I live.
In his article about huirricane Helene you neglected to mention the destruction in NE Tennessee. Many homes and businesses were washed away along with the loss of many lives. Two Interstate bridges (Let and I40) were washed away which limits interstate traffic.
When was the last time that audit was done on FEMA or any other state run agency I bet more than a dollar or two disappeared unaccounted for.
DHS gives preference to Illegals
Also an act of betrayal!!
Yes KJ-P it came from a “separate FEMA fund” just like the annual $500 million of government funding to Planned Parenthood “isn’t used for abortions”! Had enough of these jojers yet America or does it take a “trans-male” showering with your daughter to wake you up?
You sized up the whole situation very well in the last paragraph Dale. Very important article . It is a very big insult to the United States of America and the citizens of this Country, especially those in need due to the hurricane devastation , to have this policy in place whereby illegal aliens are provided for instead of providing for citizens of this Country. The idea of ethics should be considered — how can anyone participate in any program that leaves legitimate American citizens out in the cold while huge amounts of money is being given to illegal aliens ? I value having a respectful, and uplifting sense of humor — however there is a time and place for that and this situation is as serious as it gets. About all I can think of to add to this issue would be to suggest some kind of emergency housing should be made available for those in the areas hit by the hurricane. And that FEMA should stand for Forgot Emergency Matters Altogether, instead of Federal Emergency Management Agency. In the 1990’s ,when I was in my forties I had First Aid training and then went for Disaster Services training. Everything should be in it’s right place and. being ready to help those in need because of loss from a storm should be a case of American citizens helping other American citizens . Part of the Golden Rule actually, treating others the way you would want to be treated. Let’s all think of better days ahead and have ethical systems for dealing with emergencies.
Excellent article. Even Walz introduced Communist Chinese Officials in his Minnesota Classroom in 1996 pushing Communism back then putting Americans last.
Way past time for the arrogant Mayorkas to be fired forthwith He is a disgrace, a partisan puppet to the Left, who unleashed the most treacherous immigration policies into our country ever. He has implemented Open Borders and has done all he could to bring in anyone from anywhere illegally and w/o vetting That means, in my mind, that he is a traitor and needs to be punished as a traitor.
Pitiful!
the charter for FEMA is flawed if it permits this expenditure of funds on immigration (illegal or legal). FEMA is intended to exist to address domestic disasters and that does NOT include disasters created by the FED!
“Benefit migrants” a statement mean unvetted illegal persons. Quit calling them “migrants”. That term means people who applied for entry and was given permission to come to the USA with the intent to become a citizen legally with identification.
The current administration (Biden/Harris) are giving our help to criminals. They did not ask for permission to enter our country they just walked across the border with no constraints because the border patrol was mandated not to arrest or stop them.
Who knows how many secret enemy armies are in our midst, just waiting for the signal to attack? Everyone should be on high alert!
I am so disgusted with Democrats, in general!!! They have consistently, for decades, put illegals before American citizens!! They have put other countries, some of whom are more wealthy than America, on their list of “contribute to” when so many American citizens deserve so much more. We are doing a piss poor job of caring for veterans, the elderly and the disabled!! But we can send Billions to just about everyone else AND steal Billions from Social Security and Medicare and now we learn that they have stolen from FEMA to house illegals who should have been turned around at the border!! Then we have hurricanes and there is NO money for our own needs!! I don’t understand what’s in the minds of these Democrats but I know I don’t want them running the country again!!
What’s unfortunate is only a handful of us will read this and understand what it means. The rest are watching drivel like game shows, the Bachelor or some other reality contrivance on the bought and paid for network stations. Time to wake up and shove this information down as many throats as you can. Why is this country in decline? It’s because of the fantasy distraction shoved down our throats each and every night of the week.
We should deport Biden, Harris and all their cronies.
White house has failed the AMERICAN PEOPLE.
Hey joey AMERICA first,then the migrants that do it the legal way and then deportation of the bidens,the obamas,the clintons,the soros cult and anyone else that’s agenda is me first,AMERICANS last.
Taking care of the needs of 15+ million ILLEGAL ALIENS is expensive and will stress any budget. Can be expected…
trump puts americans first.
I’m my opinion, those who do not uphold the constitution after taking an oath to do so are guilty of treason and should be prosecuted and punished Accordingly. Also should not be able to hold any public office