The Trump campaign blasted Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday over the lack of funds at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), saying that the Democrat presidential nominee prioritized spending on illegal aliens over American citizens.
"FEMA has run out of money for the rest of hurricane season because Kamala Harris used the funds for free giveaways to illegal immigrants," Karoline Leavitt, national press secretary for the Trump campaign said in a statement. "This is inexcusable and yet another example of Kamala Harris putting Americans LAST!"
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters on Wednesday that FEMA can meet immediate needs in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, but does not have enough money in its coffers to make it through hurricane season.
"We are meeting the immediate needs with the money that we have. We are expecting another hurricane hitting," Mayorkas said on Air Force One. "FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season."
The federal agency is being stretched thin as it works with states to assess the storm damage and provide food, water, generators and other much-needed supplies. After making landfall in Florida last week, Helene cut a path of destruction through several other states in the Southeast, triggering cataclysmic flooding and killing upwards of 160 people.
While Mayorkas did not specify how much additional money FEMA may require, his remarks echoed concerns voiced by President Joe Biden and some lawmakers earlier this week that Congress may need to pass a supplemental spending bill to assist states with their recovery efforts.
Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, but most hurricanes occur in September or October.
Congress recently made $20 billion available for FEMA's disaster relief fund as part of the stopgap spending bill that will fund the federal government through Dec. 20. The bill also provided FEMA with the flexibility to access the money more quickly as needed.
Lawmakers in both chambers of Congress are scheduled to be in their home states and districts until after the November election, however, as they focus on campaigning.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., gave no indication he was considering changing that schedule during a speech on Tuesday. He said that Congress just provided FEMA with the funds it needs to respond to the disaster and that lawmakers would ensure those resources are appropriately allocated.
A bipartisan group of senators from affected states wrote their leadership this week saying it is clear that Congress must act to meet the needs of constituents. They said that may even require Congress to return to Washington ahead of schedule in October.
Complicating the issue, the Biden-Harris administration fears that Trump could scuttle its green agenda if he wins the presidential election and is racing to spend the tens of billions of dollars earmarked for climate initiatives.
"The Biden-Harris administration is trying to get this money out the door and get it fully obligated," Katie Harris, of BlueGreen Alliance, a coalition of union and environmental groups, said.
"It's quite the undertaking," she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.