Yavapai News

Rep. Eli Crane said the Biden-Harris administration is prioritizing illegal immigrants over disaster relief, claiming that FEMA has diverted more than $1 billion to fund services for migrants. This shift in priorities leaves Americans vulnerable, with FEMA now underfunded as it faces another hurricane season.

“The Biden-Harris FEMA spent over $1 billion on funding illegal aliens,” Rep. Crane wrote in an Oct. 2 social media post on X. “America last.”

Crane made his post in response to a post by America First Legal, which quoted U.S. Homeland Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas as saying, “We are meeting the immediate needs with the money that we have. We are expecting another hurricane hitting. FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season.”

In a series of posts, America First Legal argues that the Biden-Harris administration has allocated more than $1 billion in FEMA funds between FY2023 and FY2024 to support the Emergency Food and Shelter Program, a program “designed to exclusively provide shelter and services to illegal aliens.”  

“Over the last 4 years the Biden-Harris admin has steadily transformed FEMA—the agency responsible for responding to natural disasters like Hurricane Helene—into an illegal alien resettlement agency that emphasizes DEI over public safety,” America First Legal wrote.

According to The Federalist, critics argue that this represents a significant shift in FEMA’s priorities, which now emphasize “equity” and “climate resilience” over traditional emergency preparedness. Meanwhile, southeastern U.S. residents affected by storms, such as those impacted by Hurricane Helene, are suffering from inadequate disaster response, with hundreds still missing.

Hurricane Helene, which struck the Southeastern U.S. from September 24 to 27, caused widespread destruction as it moved inland after making landfall in Florida. The storm brought heavy rain, strong winds, and widespread flooding across the state, leading to downed trees, power outages, and damage to homes and infrastructure. Coastal areas experienced storm surges, while inland regions faced flash flooding, particularly along rivers and low-lying areas. Affected communities have been involved in extensive recovery efforts to restore power and rebuild damaged communities.