Trump Hurricane Helene relief claims, Donald Trump’s allegations that funds intended for Hurricane Helene victims were being misused for immigration purposes have sparked a political controversy. Trump and his supporters were incensed that more than $640 million was purportedly used to house migrants rather than providing immediate assistance to Americans impacted by the catastrophic storm.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and White House representatives swiftly refuted the claims, blaming Republicans for disseminating false information. FEMA made it clear that the money for migrants was not tied to the Disaster Relief Fund, which has a nearly $20 billion budget for natural disasters, but rather came from a different program run by Customs and Border Protection.
At least 225 people died in the Southeast United States as a result of Hurricane Helene, the deadliest storm since Hurricane Katrina in 2005, and hundreds more are still missing. In addition to sending more than 5,600 workers to the affected areas and providing more than $45 million in help, FEMA has also supplied 11.5 million meals and 12.6 million liters of water, among other necessities.
In remarks made at a campaign rally in Georgia, Trump charged that the government was using money meant for disaster assistance to assist migrants; FEMA categorically denied this accusation. Funds allocated for disaster aid by the agency were not reallocated, and FEMA is still helping communities hit by hurricanes.
However, Trump’s detractors noted that during his presidency in 2019, his administration took $155 million out of FEMA’s funding to fund the deportation of immigrants. The political struggle over immigration and disaster relief is still very much alive with less than a month until the US election, particularly in areas that are crucial swing votes like Georgia and North Carolina.
For more latest news checkout our website: latestglobalinsight