Is FEMA really helping Americans. . . or illegals?

[NoDecision]

FEMA’s $59 million expenditure on housing undocumented immigrants in New York City’s luxury hotels has sparked a firestorm of controversy, leading to immediate action and calls for a comprehensive review of the agency’s practices.

Elon Musk, known for his outspoken commentary on social issues, was quick to publicize the information, drawing widespread attention to the matter. The tech mogul’s statements have added fuel to an already contentious issue, placing FEMA’s decision-making process under a microscope.

Swift Action and Accountability Measures
In response to the outcry, Acting FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton took immediate action. He announced the suspension of these payments and promised to hold personnel accountable for their involvement in the decision.

“I want to thank the @达格乌doge team for making me aware of this. Effective yesterday these payments have all been suspended from FEMA. Personnel will be held accountable.” – Cameron Hamilton

Hamilton’s swift response underscores the seriousness of the situation and the need for transparency in federal spending. However, it also raises questions about the oversight mechanisms in place within FEMA and how such a significant expenditure could have been approved without proper vetting.

Presidential Intervention and Calls for Reform
The controversy has prompted action at the highest levels of government. President Trump signed an executive order to establish a council tasked with reviewing FEMA’s operations, citing concerns about political bias within the agency.

The President’s executive order calls for the council’s first meeting within 90 days and a comprehensive report within 180 days

The FEMA spending controversy has reignited broader debates on immigration policy, government accountability, and the allocation of federal resources during crises. Critics argue that the $59 million could have been better spent on American citizens in need of disaster relief.

[WhiteSteve]

I don’t trust anyone in this administration as far as I could throw them. I’m all buckled up for a 4-year fire-hosing of unbelievable lies from these guys. And I say that IN THE CONTEXT of the usual dishonesty we’ve come to expect from politicians too. But these guys are OFF THE CHARTS.

With that said…. the latest available estimated number of total American income tax payers was 161,000,000 for Tax Year 2023, so let’s use that number.

$59,000,000 divided by 161,000,000….

37 CENTS per American.

Now I hope every American…. ESPECIALLY EVERY CHRISTIAN AMERICAN…would have no problem seeing a mere 37 cents of their money that they could just as easily lose in somebody’s couch cushions help human beings in need, regardless of where their from, regardless of how they got here. I SURE hope my fellow Americans all have at least that bare minimum level of human decency in their souls. And as far as I know, it wasn’t the LAST $59M they had.

That is EXACTLY the sort of thing I want my tax dollars paying for.

[WhiteSteve]

*regardless of where they’re from

[NoDecision]

But you also understand that if the US cannot obey their own laws, we may as well not have any laws then. I'm for ousting the criminals, not people who have been here 10 years and built an honest life for themselves.

[WhiteSteve]

Yes, miss, for sure…. but law & order is now a very gray area when a sitting President pardons 1,600 people who stormed the Capitol ON HIS BEHALF and AT HIS PRODDING, some of whom violently assaulted police officers. I’d say that sends a pretty bad message. This is to say nothing of Trump’s own legal troubles, and obvious disdain and disregard for the law as it applies to him, which makes me wonder why I’M bothering to live life within the law.

I have no problem removing violent criminals who are here. I don’t want them going to Guantanamo Bay, but deport them all you want. But I’m hearing they’re sending some non -violent offenders to GITMO now. Where does it end?

“The border crisis” is just America trying to be a beacon of compassion and refuge, to migrants escaping dire situations that may not be on a long enough timetable to wait out proper immigration processes. These folks are desperate. We’re dealing with backed up asylum case adjudication, not a hole in a fence in Arizona or Texas that no one’s watching. And most are “criminal” only in that they came in illegally,, not anything egregious. American citizens commit more crime than these people do, but we don’t approach it like this. And bottom line: if a man comes to you for help, you help him, no questions asked.

[NoDecision]

Are you counting just people who pay taxes or children as part of that 161 M? I didn't think we had that many taxpayers. To pay off our National Debt, every American would have to pay $43,503.00.

[WhiteSteve]

I’m not entirely sure, but I’d have to assume some minors pay as well, like high school kids at a part-time job or something. But yes, that’s how many total people are paying federal income tax alone. And you’re right, the national debt could be paid down in fairly short order if we wanted to. People really buck about paying taxes though…. but I get it to a degree, and on the flip side, this is exactly why Musk and Bezos and Zuckerberg, etc, should be paying a lot more in taxes than they do. Imagine how much THEIR taxes would pay for, if properly done. And if you use this country and our citizens as a vehicle to get yourself wildly rich, I figure it’s only fair, and they’d still be wildly rich.

I feel like so much could be solved relatively easily, but we all just get so weird about money, haha

[Syntosi]

First of all, these are claims made by DOGE who lies constantly.

But honestly, its sort of besides the point. The government regularly has to take care people directly such as migrants or asylum seekers and they generally have facilities for this purpose. If however these facilities are full, either because of incompetence, neglect or just a sudden rise in people requiring them then the government has programs that collaborates with local hotels and other private businesses which can provide food and shelter at short notice.

If you want to argue with contracting hotels for housing then ask yourself this; If your job was to find food and housing for 500+ people within one to two days then where would you look first?

The more above the capacity the system becomes the more desperately the government has to become when finding new housing and food, that just makes perfect sense. Things would have to be pretty fucking dire before they contract luxury hotels though and that is most definitely a lie. More realistically they contracted a major hotel chain who also has luxury suites but in actuality booked normal rooms.

It is also worth pointing out that USA is the worlds richest country and the worlds super power. It does not need to choose between paying (supposedly) 59 million to hotels for "illegal migrants" or spending it on Americans in disaster relief. USA can do both. This is an incredibly dishonestly constructed argument that tries to manufacture a conflict between American citizens and "illegal immigrants" that simply does not exist. In other words, its pure propaganda.

[Dongie]

You're the liar. That's all you do is make false claims. You are a pitiful leftist jerk who can't handle not having a democrat idiot in office to smugly rub it in the faces of those you hate. Well, symposium, it's only 4 more years. 😂

[NoDecision]

@Syntosi Where did American citizens go during Katrina? To a stadium, not a luxury hotel. These people are here illegally. I see no reason to coddle them with wine, crumpets, and roses. They can do what the homeless American citizens have to do, sponge for your bread and grog and live in tents.

[Syntosi]

They also went to hotels and literally anywhere that has room. Stadiums are useful because the government has plans for setting up stuff like first aid stations in there in the case of emergency and all the other facilities that are already there. They are however less useful in situations that are NOT emergency situations since I doubt people would be very happy having migrants camping out in the stadium during a normal weekend during their game which is why they are seldom used in the way you are suggesting.

I can just imagine your outrage if USA had to cancel the super bowl because the government needed the stadium for housing migrants. I would personally find it fucking hilarious but that is besides the point. Besides, your idea of migrants enjoying luxury hotels is simply not happening. They are getting the bare minimum of service. A place to sleep and something to eat. Nothing more, nothing less.

[Syntosi]

@Dongie You know, I can't make up my mind if you are just a troll or if you are truly as clueless as you make yourself out to be. Not that I am going to lose any sleep trying to figure it out, it makes no difference to me. I am happy enough that you are just here to function as an "exhibit A" for why those who disagree with me are quite frankly beneath me.

[Dongie]

Arrogant and numb. How cute! You and the white supremacist Steve do love to hear yourself type.😂

[Dongie]

@NoDecision

He is unaware of our homeless in America.

[NoDecision]

@Syntosi Stranger things have happened. I remember many years ago when another Stadium, called Dodger's Stadium, was built. They kicked all the Latino population out that had lived there in "Chavez Ravine" for decades, in order to build the Stadium. And they gave them peanuts for their land. Now, forward to 2020. They care more for illegals than homeless Vets and poor Americans. Tell me of any country that lets anyone cross their borders and take up residence and be given all the freebies these illegals get. The US can't even enforce their own immigration law. It would not be an issue if these people immigrated legally, just like it has been done for 100 years or more. All the deaths caused by illegal immigrants, all the people sold into sex slavery, all the Fentanyl deaths, should be on Biden's and the rest of the Democrat's heads. As for the luxuary hotels. I'm not sure if it is still being done, but it was. I don't know where you were, but there were plenty of hotel employees saying how they are destroying the rooms, complaining about the free food, and making lots of demands. Seems to me if you have a squatter in your place, they should have no right to make demands.

[Syntosi]

Ahahaha! Legal immigration my ass. It is virtually impossible to go through the legal process of immigration and that is by design. In fact, a large group of people is currently in over 10+ years through this process not to mention the absurd cost. And for what? A bureaucrat to sign some paperwork?

And lets say that everything you said is true, that USA was the only country that can't enforce their own immigration policy and all that bullshit. So what? I am a pragmatist. The fact remains that they are here already and they are integrated in American society. Carving them out is the same as carving out a chunk of Americas culture, society and economy. That is simply not an option unless you want a weaker nation by the end of it which I dont. The only realistic solution to the illegal immigration issue is to find a way to integrate them directly, nothing else provides an acceptable result.

And I do have some data about the hotels that FEMA puts migrants in. More specifically that the cost of housing a migrant is 1/5th the cost of the average cost an American pays for a hotel room. They are not living some kind of luxury existence on the taxpayer dime. Also, lets even give you the claim that they are supposedly destroying the hotel rooms. Even if that was the case, why should the tax payer care? That is the problem of the hotel owners AKA private business. Should you not be HAPPY that they are trashing a private business rather than a federal facility that you have to ultimately pay for?

Where is your logical consistency here?

[NoDecision]

@Syntosi I will agree that people who have been here for at least 10 years, have committed no crimes in that time, and actually can make a living for themself with no Government assistance, should be made citizens. The problem is, there are just as many who don't do that and make their living with committing crime. I mean who wants those type of people here? No one! So how do you deport the bad without someone complaining? Because these people like to complain about anything, even when good comes calling. So at this time, Trumps is doing just that, deporting the criminals. And yet the bleeding hearts complain about it?

[Syntosi]

What is the incentive to following the law if gaining legal citizenship and employment, not to mention access to things such as health insurance and other government programs is impossible? The current horrible process of legal immigration is practically custom designed to turn potential immigrants into hardened criminals.

But again, I am a practical person. For me there are two simple facts that entirely determines my position on illegal immigration. They are here already, and America is in desperate need of them remaining. Criminals or not, they are essential for the current prosperity of the nation. You simply can't have one without the other.

[NoDecision]

@Syntosi So you are officially against DOGE - Democrats Officially Getting Exposed? 😅😆

[Syntosi]

*sigh*
Tell me something. What has DOGE actually done so far? Last I checked they have only been going around like a bully and being disruptive where as they were supposed to propose changes and give them to Congress so that they can act on it. This is all just performative nonsense and illegal activities. Before Trump came into office I predicted that DOGE would be run by idiots and fail to really produce any results, so far I have been proven entirely correct.

[NoDecision]

@Syntosi By the way, for over 100 years people have been immigrating to the US through Ellis Island, and legally. They are still doing that. And when they do get here they get no freebies. In fact, they have to have sponsors that give them a place to live and make sure they have a job. They get no freebies. So why aren't all the "legals" in the USD doing that for their countrymen? I'm sure they would be a lot more welcome if they didn't come here to sell drugs, recruit gang members, and commit crimes, because they know they won't go to prison, just get deported. Then they will just come back and do it again. The problem is they don't streamline legal immigration so people are waitng for years to legally immigrate, not to mention it costing them $thousands.

[Syntosi]

You are assuming I approve of not giving "freebies" to immigrants. I dont. I see that as everything from wasted potential, lacking morality and just plain old stupid. The government has every incentive to invest in immigrants to make sure they get established quickly and become productive members of society. But I digress.

Sponsorships in immigration is not something to be taken lightly. It is almost like you are suggesting that having a sponsor should be a given, which is unrealistic and not how the system is supposed to work anyways. It is also a weird idea to expect civilians to take on the responsibility that the government should have.

[NoDecision]

But that is the way it works for legal immigrants. The US doesn't, or maybe I should say, "Didn't" let immigrants in that would require welfare and other public assistance. That is why one of the terms was to have a sponsor. I mean that seems fair. As it was Biden didn't worry about that part of the law and let everyone in. And that is one reason illegal immigration cost the taxpayers $Billions per year. That is a lot of money to save on people that should not be here to begin with.

[Syntosi]

You say that they should not even be there to begin with.. but they are there aren't they? And they are costing you billions per year? I can guarantee you that just giving them a head-start and a citizenship is going to cost less than that AND you get a productive member of society out of the deal.

And yet here we are. Wasting time, energy and A LOT OF MONEY to make the lives of people miserable while promoting higher rates of criminality while accomplishing little else. Ever heard the story of Sisyphus?

[Dongie]

@NoDecision

You're arguing with a liberal about money, our money. Give it up! They're all idiots that think only of their own virtues. They LOVE to display them at others expense. Catch them when it's their own expense, and you'll see a different animal.

[Syntosi]

@Dongie I am literally making an argument that you are wasting money and that investing in migrants has provably good rates or return. But of course you are more interested in your feelings.

[Dongie]

Why do you insist on calling them immigrants? Don't mix them with the ones that follow laws. That's bad policy and very, very rude.

[Syntosi]

@Dongie So you think it is alright to wait 10+ years to gain citizenship in USA?

[NoDecision]

I did say earlier that those living here for 10 years or more should be made citizens. People who live together for 7 years can be in a Common Law Marriage that is recognized in most states. So illegals should be made legal after 10 years. The rest need to come in legally. I do believe the US has a quota that they can take in each year, or at least they used to. After the quota has been reached for that year, the rest have to wait for the next year. That seems fair to me. But do you think if all the criminals that want to come in will wait? Hell no! They will come in any way that they can.

[Syntosi]

"seams fair".. What does that even mean? What does immigration have anything to do with fairness? Its like saying its fair to put a quota on drivers licenses or something. It makes absolutely no sense to arbitrarily limit applications nor to drag out the process. I would even say its completely inefficient and a waste of literally everyones time.

[Dongie]

Let me tell you, Symposium. I think it sucks! I had a friend from Mexico who went through all the proper channels and still could not gain his papers. Finally a friend of ours married him to get it done. But I also say coming here illegally doesn't make it right. If you think it does, then you're part of that problem. Maybe if we were not overloaded with border jumpers, they would be able to receive folks in the proper manner. Have you ever considered that?

[Syntosi]

@Dongie "overloaded with border jumpers" my ass. People are "jumping the border" (they are really not, only a minority is actually illegally crossing the border) because the system has failed. They would easily have completed the legal process of registering their citizenship if that was ever an option.

Fact is, you can't stop them from coming. You can only change how they arrive. You get to choose if they are "illegal immigrants" or lawful citizens. Republicans have chosen poorly.

[Dongie]

Shut the fuk up!

[NoDecision]

@Dongie Be nice please. You don't need profanity to make a point.

[Dongie]

Yes ma'am.

[goaded]

How much Elon Musk makes from the government a day: $8 million.

How much a senior on Social Security gets a day: $65

Guess which budget Musk and Trump want to cut?

$59 million is about a week of what gets paid to Musk by the government.

[NoDecision]

So if Musk really wants to help, he should take no salary like Trump doesn't?

[goaded]

Trump signed an executive order halting investigations and prosecutions of corporate corruption in foreign countries under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, he's raking in money from all over the place.

[MisterWack]

FEMA is being killed off either way, I feel like we should’ve had this investigation with a House Committee so the American public knew for themselves what FEMA does, how FEMA accomplishes what it does, then is FEMA actually achieving it? We didn’t have to kill it off, we could’ve specified what it should be utilized for…. This is how its always been done.

To any Republicans scratching your head, Congress is majority Republican so clearly they’d be able to have a GOP oriented investigation so… What was so wrong about FEMA? Because the Presidential Candidate spread misinformation before entering office and now must do the thing to make it look like he saved his people from a great evil “from the inside” when he is a liar like all politicians.

[MisterWack]

My opinion stands like this: Don’t kill off something just because you have a personal grievance, do research before allowing that decision to go through. This is the same Administration killing disaster aid, halting health infrastructure, and administration calling for California dams to be drained leading to a water crisis part 2 in California (1.6 billion gallons on the first day, 2.2 billion in total), removing USA from WHO (same WHO that helped eliminate Small Pox from the Earth by visiting millions of houses in India getting people vaccinated. they were so close to stopping Polio though misinformation halted their goal)

[Astarlessnightsky]

Yes.

The 59 Million $ was approved of both democrats and republicans to help noncitizen migrants and ONLY to help these noncitizen migrants.

The luxury Hotel closed in 2020 and was opened again recently as shelter specifically for migrants waiting for their American citizen ship.

And unlike Musks tweeted, its not taking away money from hurrican victims, this budget was declined by democrats and rebublicans alike.

And as an offical government organisation, the budget of FEMA can only be used to the specific purpose thats been approved of by the senate. And is also openly and publically accesable. Every dollar spent can be traced.

[OneViewpoint]

Oh FEMA is absolutely working for Al Qaeda and buying illegal immigrants penthouses. It should absolutely be shut down.

I can't wait for all the shithole states to start crying for federal aid after the next hurricane, flood, or tornado. I'm looking at you GA, FL, AL, TN, KY, MS, LA, TX, AR, KS.

For the dimwitted people who are not beyond the reach of reality at this point. Yes, FEMA was administering the money to house illegals. But it was not part of the FEMA disaster relief budget appropriated by Congress. Those were separate funds also appropriated by Congress to deal with the problem of housing illegals. So if you want to blame someone, blame Congress. FEMA was simply asked to do the paperwork and control the cash because someone had to do it.

This shit isn't hard to find or understand. Educate yourselves for craps sake instead of letting people lie to you with lame propaganda.

[exitseven]

FEMA is like most government agencies. It is loaded with waste, inefficiencies and corruption. Millions were spent shuttling illegal aliens round the country and when Atlantic states needed financial help because of a pair of hurricanes FEMA was broke. Now we find out they sent 59 million dollars to house illegal aliens in 5 star hotels in NYC. They should have called ICE to come and deport them instead of wasting tax dollars on them,

FEMA at least needs to be purged of the incompetence and corruption and a new leadership team needs to be found or else it needs to be scrapped altogether.

[Surely]

Every United States citizen should have the right to audit the government’s books. To hold our leaders accountable for expenditures made on their watch. To see where the money is supposed to go and to see where it actually went.
I would not call the illegal invasion of this country as a Federal Emergency. This was allowed and encouraged by the previous administration. No Emergency here!

[onedarkcloud]

FEMA works for illegal aliens. SCREW our vets screw our homeless $750 for Carolina and California burned out families and the burned out from Hawaii. Bidens Government against its citizens and anyone here illegally is welcome { FUCK THE CITIZENS}

[NoDecision]

Hopefully Trump will fix that.

[Anonymous]

The leftist deep state inside Fema is still helping illegals in direct violation of the president's orders. He said during his visit to California on January 24 it is time to end Fema, and now this proves it. He is in the process of getting the money back from the corrupt luxury hotels that took it, and firing the whole staff of Fema from the top down.

[WindAtMyBack]

Those are two completely unrelated questions.

When most of the money is for one thing, and a small portion for anther, invalidation of the small portions does not invalidate the large portion.

They are two separate questions.

[D_Bone_Steak]

Luxury hotels for illegals or for disaster victims? Compare the money spent and there is the answer.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, because Trump and Musk never lie. Only a fucking moron would believe them, much less vote for that idiot.

[NoDecision]

Let me clue you in, most politicians lie to some extent, some more than others. That is because they have no accountability placed on them. We as taxpayers have no right to know what is done with our money we pay in taxes. Ever wonder how all these politicians become multi-millionaires on a congressman's salary?

[DrPepper12]

I'm more concerned about musk & the incels than allegations at this point

[Dongie]

Yeah, I hope Trump does away with those dirty liberal commies.

[Dongie]

😂😂😂👇

[slatyb]

Still not true.

[Anonymous]

Ignorance is bliss

[Pterodon]

Illegals