Hurricane Helene Aftermath: FEMA’s Funding Shortage Exposed by DHS Chief Mayorkas

“We are meeting the immediate needs with the money that we have. We are expecting another hurricane to hit. FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season.” This remarkable statement from Alejandro Mayorkas, head of Homeland Security, the agency that encompasses the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), sent shockwaves around the country as Hurricane Helene ripped through Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and North Carolina.

And why would they not have the money to deal with the devastation we’ve seen especially in North Carolina, which some on the ground have described as “biblical?” Many have made the point that FEMA running out of money for disaster relief after spending 1 billion dollars to assist illegal aliens is a slap in the face of suffering Americans. FEMA argues, with a straight face, that nothing has been diverted, it’s just from two different “streams.” Considering one has run out of money, and the other has not, we get a patronizing excuse highlighting the priorities of the Biden/Harris regime. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody put it this way on Fox News, “Everyone should be waking up this morning outraged…They have taken the FEMA EMERGENCY food and shelter program, and over time, siphoned off hundreds of millions of dollars into basically making it an illegal immigrant resettlement program.”

As of this writing, over 200 have perished, and towns have been wiped off the map. The only access has been through drones, helicopters, and the donation of hundreds of Starlink kits with free service to victims of the storm by Elon Musk. Horribly, the death toll will increase, as Americans have another example of what happens when you have a federal regime that seems intent on abandoning Americans at every turn.

Adding insult to injury, Vice President Kamala Harris ran over to Georgia after taking time for a fundraiser with pals in California to announce that victims of Helene would receive $750 from the government. After learning about debit cards issued to illegal aliens for amounts upwards of $18,000 a year for some families, telling American citizens who have just lost everything that they’ll get $750 is like leaving a nickel for a tip instead of nothing at all. It sends a horrible message. Bad Hombre on X noted, “To add insult to injury, the folks who lost everything in Helene and don’t have power, have to find a way to get online and fill out an application to be considered for the one-time $750 payment, which is enough to wipe you’re a** with thanks to Kamala’s inflation.”

Mayorkas’ specific statement that FEMA did not have money for the rest of the hurricane season was semi-rebutted by FEMA itself after the outrage was intense. Fox reported, “’ FEMA has what it needs for immediate response and recovery efforts,’ spokesperson Jaclyn Rothenberg said on X. ‘As [Administrator Deanne Criswell] said, she has the full authority to spend against the President’s budget, but we’re not out of hurricane season yet so we need to keep a close eye on it.’” That was one heck of a cleanup on Aisle 5!

While some people in North Carolina on the ground report seeing some FEMA staff, it remains neighbor helping neighbor throughout the storm-ravaged area. And FEMA hasn’t just been absent; some reports indicate the agency has been hindering rescue and assistance efforts by citizens. First Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg issued a statement telling people to stop using drones to assist the stranded. The order was so idiotic it was eventually retracted after massive social media pushback.

Meanwhile, Elon Musk posted a message from a SpaceX engineer on the ground in North Carolina with a shocking first-hand report. He posted, “FEMA is not merely failing to adequately help people in trouble, but is actively blocking citizens who try to help!” Then sharing his engineer’s message: “The big issue is FEMA is actively blocking shipments and seizing goods and services locally and locking them away to state they are their own. It’s very real and scary how much they have taken control to stop people helping. We are blocked now on the shipments of new starlinks coming in until we get an escort from the fire dept. but that may not be enough.”

Every major world event has been caused or made worse by the Biden-Harris administration’s incompetence and malevolence. Ranging from a lack of leadership and wobbly support for Israel leading us to a wider regional Middle Eastern war, to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on the heels of the Afghanistan withdrawal debacle, to the impact of a hurricane because of bizarre financial priorities, it all points to an abandonment of America itself.

Every day there is a screaming admission by the Biden-Harris administration and the Democrats that the American people are a menace and an irritant, as they continue to bankrupt our agencies in the name of facilitating the massive transfer of foreigners into our country. Our tax dollars derived from our hard work for this country and our families, have been spent deliberately and knowingly during hurricane season on making sure foreigners have everything they need.

There is nothing more obvious at this point about the agenda of Kamala Harris and the Democrat Party. Some of us have been screaming from the hill that these people do not mean as well and every action they take proves that point. Their rhetoric may imply something different, but it is important that you look at what the bureaucratic state, now represented by Kamala Harris, is doing to us. Look around. It’s not what they say, it’s what they do.

Tammy Bruce, an Independent Conservative, has traversed a unique political journey that reflects her commitment to principles rather than party affiliations. She joined Fox News in 2005 as a Political Contributor, hosting her show “Get Tammy Bruce” on Fox Nation and providing insightful commentary on various issues for the Association for Mature Americans (AMAC).

The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.