Trump peddles new wild FEMA conspiracy theory about illegal migrants and the election in North Carolina
Donald Trump floated a shocking new theory about President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris’ intentional use of FEMA money for illegal immigrants.
Responding to questions from reporters during a campaign visit to survey damage from Hurricane Helene in Asheville, North Carolina, the president noted Monday how the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has done a poor job in dealing with the storm’s impact.
“Our FEMA when we had a problem we recorded rescues,” Trump boasted. “The work FEMA has done under the Trump administration has been truly incredible.”
He then breached FEMA’s controversial fund to help non-US citizens, sparking a new conspiracy that Biden and Harris could use that money to bring migrants into the country to secure their vote for Democrats. set.
Former president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump comments on relief efforts with local leaders during a tour of the devastating Hurricane Helene in Swannanoa, North Carolina, October 21, 2024.
FEMA under Biden and Harris “has spent hundreds of millions of dollars doing things for other people,” Trump told the crowd at the hurricane-damaged site.
“Things that I don’t think have any relation to this money,” he said.
The ex-president was apparently referring to FEMA’s non-citizen-only Shelter and Service Program (SSP).
Over the past two years, FEMA has received more than $1 billion from taxpayers through this program to specifically support illegal immigrants with housing and humanitarian services.
It was founded to provide shelter for non-citizens and its budget has almost doubled from $363.8 million in 2023 to $650 million in 2024.
Additionally, $780 million in FEMAs Since 2022, an emergency food and shelter program has been allocated to non-citizens.
‘They weren’t supposed to spend the money taking in illegal immigrants,” Trump said before suggesting that “maybe” the migrants were getting money so they could vote in the elections.‘
Trump said ‘maybe’ migrants will get money from FEMA ‘so they could vote in the elections’
Debris from Hurricane Helene is piled on land owned by the city of Asheville
Signs are seen at a FEMA Disaster Recovery Center at A.C. Reynolds High School in Asheville
“Because that’s why a lot of people say they do it,” Trump qualified his speculative answer.
“I don’t know,” the Republican continued. “I hope that’s not why they do that.”
However, no evidence has been provided by Trump or his campaign to support the new theory.
In the immediate aftermath of historic Hurricane Helene, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas admitted that FEMA may not have the money to weather the storm season.
FEMA’s SSP has allocated more than $1 billion to shelter and support noncitizens since 2022
Migrants from Nepal, India and Bangladesh are waiting for a ride from Border Patrol after illegally entering the US
This enraged Americans living without water and power in affected neighborhoods such as Asheville.
More than 150,000 U.S. citizens have sought federal assistance after their homes were damaged by Hurricane Helene. Many have expressed frustration with the recovery after the storm.
Notably, the money allocated to FEMA’s SSP fund was approved by Congress, which is partially controlled by Republicans.
FEMA ‘spent their money on illegal immigrants!’ Trump made the claim later in the day to a crowd in Greenville, North Carolina, drawing boos in response.
“They ran out of money for North Carolina.”