Politico reported that the Federal Emergency Management Agency has frozen $10 billion of disaster aid.
Politico reported that the agency was investigating two programs being used to assist undocumented immigrants. The documents were written by FEMA acting administrator Cameron Hamilton on March 20 and approved by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Nuem on Tuesday.
According to documents obtained by Politico, the programs fund NGOs to help with disaster recovery and for short-term housing. Politico reported that one program had $8.5 billion of unspent disaster recovery aid, and the other had $1.3 billion for short-term rental housing.
FEMA is reviewing 56 programs to make sure that money doesn’t go to undocumented immigrants. Politico reported that the majority of programs were found to comply with Donald Trump’s immigration policies and executive order.
Trump signed an Executive Order last week that set the stage for major changes to federal disaster relief programs.
The order states that “the Order allows state and local governments better understand and plan for their citizens’ needs by reducing the complex federal preparedness policies and response plans.”
Noem informed Trump at a Cabinet Meeting on Monday that “eliminating” FEMA is in the works.
