Two-thirds of Americans think the Federal Emergency Management Agency should not provide housing to undocumented immigrants, according to a new poll by Harvard CAPS / The Harris Poll.
The Biden-Harris administration has received criticism from Republicans after concerns arose about FEMA’s cash flow following Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas‘s remarks on the agency’s financial difficulties during hurricane season.
Immigration policy is among the key concerns in voters’ minds, as former President Donald Trump is perceived to be tougher on the issue compared to Vice President Kamala Harris.
In the monthly poll released by Harvard’s Center for American Political Studies and the analytics firms The Harris Poll and HarrisX, respondents were asked, “Should any FEMA money have gone to housing immigrants here illegally, or should FEMA funds have not gone to that purpose?”
A majority of respondents (67 percent) think that FEMA money should not have gone to migrants living in the country illegally. Thirty-three percent felt otherwise.
Along party lines, 51 percent of Democrats felt FEMA money should not have gone to housing undocumented immigrants while 49 percent disagreed. Eighty percent of Republicans felt the agency’s money should not have been used for housing migrants while 20 percent felt otherwise.
The poll was conducted online in the United States by The Harris Poll and HarrisX between October 11–13, surveying 3,145 registered voters. The sample included 2,596 likely voters and 898 voters from battleground states. The margin of error for the total sample is +/- 1.8 points on a 95 percent confidence level, the poll said.
The claims about FEMA funds being used for migrants have been exaggerated following a series of statements made by the GOP during a heated election season, as Hurricanes Helene and Milton have devastated Florida and other Southeastern states.
Trump has repeatedly claimed that federal emergency disaster money was given to migrants living in the country illegally.
Two-thirds of Americans think the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) should not provide housing to undocumented immigrants, according to a new poll by Harvard CAPS / The Harris Poll.
Spencer Platt /John Moore/ Chris duMond//Getty
“They stole the FEMA money, just like they stole it from a bank, so they could give it to their illegal immigrants that they want to have vote for them this season,” Trump said at a rally in Saginaw, Michigan, on October 3.
Some of his most high-profile supporters have also repeated the claims.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott alleged that over $640 million had been spent by FEMA on migrants when it could have been used to plug the funding gap.
“FEMA has run out of money for the rest of hurricane season because Kamala Harris used the funds for free giveaways to illegal immigrants. This is inexcusable and yet another example of Kamala Harris putting Americans LAST!” Karoline Leavitt, Trump Campaign National Press Secretary, said in a previous statement to Newsweek.
A spokesperson for DHS told Newsweek that the allegations made by Republicans were “completely false.”
In a dedicated fact-check page, FEMA released a statement after misinformation circulated about spending on migrants: “No money is being diverted from disaster response needs. FEMA’s disaster response efforts and individual assistance are funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster efforts. Disaster Relief Fund money has not been diverted to other, non-disaster-related efforts.”
The $650 million referenced by Republicans pertains to the Shelter and Services Program (SSP), which had this budget for Fiscal Year 2024, ending on September 30.
The SSP funds migrant support organizations, nonprofits, and state and local governments to help those in need of shelter, food, or medical care.
Although FEMA distributes these funds, they do not come from FEMA’s budget.
According to the DHS Appropriations Act 2024, the funding originates from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) budget and is passed to FEMA for distribution. This supports “the safe, orderly, and humane release of asylum seekers and families.”
CBP plays a role in determining where the funds are directed, as it must provide FEMA with operational data on a quarterly basis.
This information helps guide FEMA’s distribution of funds, especially to shelters that assist CBP’s border security efforts.
