ICYMI: Biden Didn’t Take FEMA Relief Money to Use On Migrants — But Trump Did Arrow

Key Point: "Trump falsely claims FEMA has run out of disaster money - and then falsely says that's because money instead was spent on migrants. There is no evidence the Biden administration spent FEMA disaster money on migrants. Rather, that's what Trump did."

Washington Post: No, Biden didn't take FEMA relief money to use on migrants - but Trump did

By: Glenn Kessler

• Even though Trump was once president, he still appears to have little clue about the appropriations process. What's even richer is that when he was president, he did exactly what he claims Biden did - take money from FEMA's disaster fund to fund migrant programs at the southern border.

• "These claims are completely false," DHS said in a statement Thursday night. "As Secretary Mayorkas said, FEMA has the necessary resources to meet the immediate needs associated with Hurricane Helene and other disasters. The Shelter and Services Program (SSP) is a completely separate, appropriated grant program that was authorized and funded by Congress and is not associated in any way with FEMA's disaster-related authorities or funding streams."

• Trump has a habit of assuming other politicians act in the same way as he would. So we wondered why he would accuse Biden of raiding the FEMA disaster fund to handle undocumented migrants.

• It turns out that's because he did this! In 2019, the Trump administration, in the middle of hurricane season, told Congress that it was taking $271 million from DHS programs, including $155 million from the disaster fund, to pay for immigration detention space and temporary hearing locations for asylum seekers who have been forced to wait in Mexico. "The U.S. is facing a security and humanitarian crisis on the Southern border," the administration said in its notice that it was redirecting the funds.

• The monthly reports issued by the FEMA disaster fund show $38 million was plucked and given to Immigration and Customs Enforcement in August that year - just before the prime storm period of September and October.

• The Trump campaign did not respond to questions about Trump's actions in 2019.

• Trump falsely claims FEMA has run out of disaster money - and then falsely says that's because money instead was spent on migrants. There is no evidence the Biden administration spent FEMA disaster money on migrants. Rather, that's what Trump did.