Mayorkas’ claim that FEMA is ‘tremendously prepared’ comes back to haunt him amid Helene aftermath

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Sen. Lindsey Graham responds to Helene’s devastation: ‘Never been so upset in my life’

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., reacts to FEMA reportedly running out of Hurricane Helene relief funding as the Biden administration pushes back against claims it was used to assist illegal migrants on ‘Hannity.’

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U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas’ words have come back to haunt him as video from earlier this year touting the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA’s) preparedness before Hurricane Helene exposed shortcomings in the organization.

Mayorkas this week warned that FEMA was running out of funds as hurricane season continued to slam the southeastern United States. The organization has enough funds to deal with the aftermath of Helene but would not have enough to “make it through the season.”

This warning stands in stark contrast to previous comments Mayorkas made in the summer assuring that FEMA would be able to handle upcoming weather crises. 

“FEMA is tremendously prepared,” Mayorkas assured reporters in a video from July. “This is what we do, this is what they do, and the key here … is to also make sure the communities who are potentially impacted are prepared as well.” 

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“And it’s not just hurricanes and wildfires – also extreme heat, which certainly some parts of the United States are experiencing,” he added. Mayorkas stressed that FEMA has “exercised these muscles, regrettably, year after year” due to the “increasing frequency and gravity of weather events.”

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas speaks on Tuesday, Oct. 1, 2024 during a briefing at the White House in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

However, Mayorkas did argue that FEMA’s disaster relief fund remained in a precarious position and needed fresh funding from Congress ahead of an expected heavy hurricane season. In July, he anticipated running out by “mid-August.” 

Mayorkas stressed the need to be ready for the “consequences” of increasingly severe weather events as climate change continues to exacerbate disasters such as hurricanes and wildfires. 

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Hurricane Helene devastated parts of the East Coast last week. Floodwaters and mudslides almost entirely wiped out some communities such as Asheville, North Carolina, where residents have remained without electricity and cell service while facing water, gas and food shortages. 

Cars sit submerged in a flooded area at a used tire dealer after Hurricane Helene in Hendersonville, North Carolina, on Sept. 27, 2024. (Ken Ruinard/USA Today Network via Reuters)

“They’re afraid. People are getting on edge,” retired Asheville, North Carolina, Police Officer Steve Antle told Fox News Digital. “They’ve already had people doing some minor looting in the area. Because there’s no power … so it’s just a free-for-all at this point. There are no traffic signals. There are not enough police officers.”

FEMA arrived in Western North Carolina on Monday after President Biden approved federal resources, but some residents as of Thursday said they still had not seen any federal officials. 

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Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told Fox News host Sean Hannity that no FEMA rep had visited parts of South Carolina but had received assurances they would after he raised the issue with them. 

Flood damage at a bridge across Mill Creek in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Sept. 30, 2024 in Old Fort, North Carolina. The White House has approved disaster declarations in North Carolina, Florida, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Virginia and Alabama, freeing up federal emergency management money and resources for those states. ( Sean Rayford/Getty Images)

“You know where I’m going to look to get money to help with this disaster?” Graham said. “There’s a couple hundred billion dollars in the Inflation Reduction Act … that hasn’t been spent.”

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“Why don’t we take money from the Inflation Reduction Act and apply it to this disaster?” Graham asked. “That’s what I’ll be trying to do.” 

Fox News Digital’s Audrey Conklin and The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Peter Aitken is a Fox News Digital reporter with a focus on national and global news.