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   America Haters  Trump and his allies have claimed the Federal Emergency   
   Management Agency can’t respond well enough to the aftermath of Hurricane   
   Helene because it’s diverted so much money to helping migrants—but that’s   
   not true, as FEMA’s funds for handling disaster relief efforts are separate   
   from money given to immigrant communities.   
   Donald Trump Visits Areas Affected By Hurricane Helene In Georgia   
      
   Former President Donald Trump arrives at Valdosta Regional Airport to visit   
   areas affected by ... [+]Getty Images   
   Key Facts   
      
   Trump has repeatedly alleged that FEMA is having money issues because of   
   funds spent on migrants, claiming at a rally Thursday that “Kamala spent   
   all her FEMA money—billions of dollars—on housing for illegal migrants” and   
   quoting Fox News host Jesse Watters as saying, “FEMA is now out of money,   
   because Joe Biden and Kamala spent over a billion dollars of FEMA cash on   
   migrants.”   
      
   Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas did say Tuesday that FEMA’s   
   disaster relief efforts are facing a dire cash crunch, warning that while   
   the agency is “meeting the immediate needs” of Hurricane Helene recovery   
   “with the money that we have,” it “does not have the funds to make it   
   through the [hurricane] season.”   
      
   But those financial issues aren’t because of money going to migrants: While   
   FEMA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection have given more than $1 billion   
   since the start of 2023 to communities that are taking in migrants, that’s   
   been through the agency’s Shelter and Services Program, a totally different   
   funding pot than the Disaster Relief Fund used to respond to hurricanes and   
   other natural disasters.   
      
   FEMA says on its website that any claims that disaster funds were rerouted   
   to border-related efforts are “false,” noting the Disaster Relief Fund is a   
   dedicated fund for managing disasters and money meant for the fund “has not   
   been diverted to other, non-disaster related efforts.”   
      
   Congress determines how much money goes to FEMA’s disaster fund, and the   
   fund faces issues after lawmakers declined to allocate additional funding   
   for FEMA’s efforts in the stopgap funding bill it passed last month, only   
   extending FEMA’s existing funding level and allowing it to draw from $20   
   billion in funds more quickly.   
      
   Democratic lawmakers expressed concern about FEMA’s budget even before   
   Helene hit—as FEMA had to stop funding non-emergency rebuilding efforts in   
   order to preserve funds—and some have now called for Congress to come back   
   from its recess to pass legislation that would give the disaster relief   
   fund more cash.   
      
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   What To Watch For   
      
   Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30 with September and October usually   
   the busiest months, the Associated Press notes, so it’s possible another   
   hurricane could strike by the end of the month that FEMA would struggle to   
   respond to with its present funding levels. It remains unclear whether   
   lawmakers will return to Washington to pass more funding before their   
   recess ends in November. While even some Republicans have advocated for   
   doing so—including Sens. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., Rick Scott, R-Fla., and   
   Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., all from Helene-hit states—House Speaker Mike   
   Johnson, R-La., told The New York Times “there’s no necessity for Congress   
   to come back.”   
   Big Number   
      
   $34 billion. That’s approximately how much Hurricane Helene’s devastation   
   could cost, according to a projection Moody’s Analytics made Thursday,   
   based on estimated property damage costing up to $26 billion and an   
   estimated $5 billion to $8 billion in resulting economic losses. Those   
   estimates are still early and are likely to change as there’s a clearer   
   sense of the scope of the damage, Moody’s noted.   
   Is Kamala Harris Giving Only $750 To Hurricane Victims?   
      
   Another claim made by Trump and his allies is that Vice President Kamala   
   Harris and the Biden administration are giving only $750 to victims of   
   Helene’s devastation and not doing anything else. That is also false, with   
   FEMA noting on its website that the $750 figure is specifically for Serious   
   Needs Assistance, which is immediate aid that disaster victims can receive   
   to pay for essential items like food, water and emergency supplies. Victims   
   can still apply for and receive additional support from FEMA on top of   
   that, however, such as money for temporary housing and repairs.   
   Key Background   
      
   Hurricane Helene has brought widespread devastation to parts of the South   
   including North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida, with an estimated   
   death toll so far of 215. The natural disaster has also become a political   
   debate ahead of the presidential election, as Trump has criticized the   
   Biden administration’s response to the disaster, often by making up false   
   accusations. Trump claimed Monday that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp was “having   
   a hard time getting the president on the phone” and that the “federal   
   government is not being very responsive,” for instance, even as Kemp   
   clarified he had spoken with Biden and the president told Kemp to call him   
   directly if he needed further assistance. Trump has also claimed Biden and   
   Harris “have left Americans to drown”—which is false, as the government has   
   sent significant supplies and federal troops to affected areas—and Trump   
   allies have pointed to the FEMA’s equity efforts to claim the agency’s “#1   
   goal is to be woke.” The Biden administration has strongly denounced Trump   
   and his allies’ claims: FEMA spokesperson Jacklyn Rothenberg said the   
   agency “help[s]   
   all people regardless of background as fast as possible,” and Biden angrily   
      
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   responded to Trump’s false claims on Monday, saying the ex-president is   
   “lying.” “The reason I get so angry about it … I care what he communicates   
   to the people that are in need,” Biden said. “He implies that we’re not   
   doing everything possible. We are.”   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)