WASHINGTON, D.C. — A Department of Homeland Security notice reveals that the Trump administration moved nearly $10 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) this summer.
With the move, the administration added millions in taxpayer dollars for detention beds and deportations, at the expense of FEMA’s preparedness, protection, response and recovery efforts.
The news emerges as President Donald Trump said Tuesday that the administration is “sparing no expense” in preparing for Hurricane Florence.
“To prioritize the separation and detention of families over providing relief to disaster-stricken communities is a scandalous use of taxpayer dollars,” said Ali Noorani, Executive Director of the National Immigration Forum. “Funding family separation, detention and deportation with money meant to help Americans prepare for and recover from natural disasters flies in the face of American values and puts public safety at risk.”