Sen.Rand Paul - Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee | Official U.S. Senate headshot
Sen.Rand Paul - Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee | Official U.S. Senate headshot
Recently, a group of U.S. Senators led by Rand Paul (R-KY) expressed concerns over the Biden Administration's use of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for addressing border issues. The Senators, including James Lankford (R-OK), Ron Johnson (R-WI), Josh Hawley (R-MO), and Roger Marshall (R-KS), sent a letter to President Joe Biden highlighting their worries about FEMA's diminished readiness for disaster relief.
The letter quoted Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas: "We are expecting another hurricane hitting—we do not have the funds, FEMA does not have the funds, to make it through the season." The Senators noted that since taking office, the Biden-Harris Administration has spent around $1.5 billion on FEMA’s border-related programs. They expressed concern that this reliance on FEMA has affected its preparedness for disasters like hurricanes.
The letter stated, "FEMA’s continued entanglement in DHS’s efforts to respond to the border crisis could impact its readiness and emergency response mission." It emphasized that FEMA's primary mission is disaster response and not handling border issues resulting from current policies.
The Senators pointed out that under the current administration, actions such as ending Remain in Mexico and stopping deportations have led to increased migrant encounters at the border. They mentioned that by March 2021, FEMA was already involved in addressing surges of unaccompanied minors exempted from Title 42 orders.
FEMA has been part of programs like the Emergency Food and Shelter Program (EFSP) and Shelter and Services Program (SSP) supporting DHS's plan for Southwest Border Security. These programs aim to assist non-governmental organizations dealing with noncitizens processed by Customs and Border Protection.
Concerns were also raised about oversight findings showing ineligible individuals receiving benefits funded by these programs. A FEMA official reportedly compared the situation to a hurricane: "FEMA can buy its way out of the border crisis if Congress allocates it enough money."
The Senators questioned how many FEMA employees have been reassigned to border duties since January 2021 and requested details on financial reprogramming related to these efforts. They also asked whether any strategic planning had been conducted regarding FEMA's role at the southern border.
The letter concluded with a request for responses by October 18, 2024.
Alerts Sign-up