Hovde's Hurricane Hysteria: FEMA Fights Back Against Baseless Claims

Statement: "FEMA is out of money and doesn't have money to transfer to those people affected by the hurricane ... they used the money to assist illegal immigrants."

In a whirlwind of misinformation, Eric Hovde, the Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in Wisconsin, has been stirring the pot with false claims about Hurricane Helene. FEMA officials, the real heroes here, are busy debunking the nonsense.

"FEMA is out of money and doesn't have money to transfer to those people affected by the hurricane,” Hovde droned on in a video posted Thursday on X, formerly Twitter. “They used the money to assist illegal immigrants.” Like, what?

By Tuesday afternoon, the video had over a quarter of a million views. People really need better things to watch.

At a rally in Wisconsin, Hovde claimed Vice President Kamala Harris and his opponent, Democratic U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, are “not even taking care of our veterans or the people that were devastated by that hurricane.” Trump, never one to miss out on a chance to spread chaos, declared the federal government “is doing nothing.” FEMA's response? "Ridiculous and just plain false."

The agency launched a webpage to smack down the rumors about the hurricane, because apparently, people can't think for themselves. FEMA says false information can confuse people. Well, yeah.

Here's the real deal:

FEMA Says They've Got Enough Cash

Hovde starts his video with the claim that FEMA is “out of money.” On FEMA’s rumor response website, the agency says it has enough money for immediate needs. Guess he didn't get the memo.

"If you were affected by Helene, do not hesitate to apply for disaster assistance as there is a variety of help available for different needs,” FEMA says. But who listens to facts these days?

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters FEMA can meet its current obligations, but might run out of funding before the end of hurricane season. According to a press release, federal assistance to Hurricane Helene survivors has surpassed $210 million. FEMA is also getting ready for Hurricane Milton. Go figure.

Money Not Diverted

Hovde also claimed the agency ran out of funding because “they used the money to assist illegal immigrants.” Because that's the first thing FEMA thinks of during a crisis, right?

FEMA says no money is being diverted from disaster response. Individual assistance comes from a dedicated Disaster Relief Fund. It says the $650 million for the Shelter and Services Program is separate from disaster relief funds, according to USA TODAY.

FEMA Pleads for People to Use Official Sources

Hovde ends his rant by urging people to “please share this with people you know. Get the word out.” Yeah, get the word out that you’re full of it.

FEMA’s rumor webpage asks people to stop spreading rumors by finding trusted sources of information and sharing factual info. Who knew?

Survivors can apply for FEMA assistance by calling the helpline at 1-800-621-3362, visiting www.fema.gov/assistance, or downloading FEMA’s app. Imagine that, actually helping people.

Our Ruling

Hovde’s claims on X that FEMA is “out of money” and that it “used the money to assist illegal immigrants” have been debunked. FEMA has enough money for immediate needs but could run out. The separate program for migrants isn’t diverting disaster relief funds.

We rate Hovde’s claims False. Because, of course.

Sources

• (https://x.com/EricHovde/status/1841942907982373244), Oct. 3, 2024.
• Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Recap: Donald Trump speaks for nearly two hours at rally in Juneau, Wisconsin, Oct. 6, 2024.
• USA TODAY, 'Ridiculous and just plain false': FEMA administrator knocks Trump's Hurricane Helene recovery claims, Oct. 6, 2024.
• USA TODAY, Have you heard these rumors? FEMA wants to set the record straight., Oct. 5, 2024.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hurricane Helene: Rumor Response, Sept. 6, 2024.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA Launches Web Page to Respond to Rumors and Confirm the Facts Related to Hurricane Helene Response and Recovery, Oct. 4, 2024.
• USA TODAY, Is FEMA running out of money for hurricane season? Here's what you need to know, Oct. 4, 2024.
• USA TODAY, Hurricane Milton tracker: Follow projected path of Category 4 storm expected to hit Florida, Oct. 7, 2024.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency, As Federal Assistance for Hurricane Helene Exceeds $210 Million, FEMA Prepares for Dual Response with Hurricane Milton Strengthening as it Moves Toward Gulf Coast of Florida, Oct. 7, 2024.
• Federal Emergency Management Agency, Shelter and Services Program.