Rep. Thompson Issues Statement on Transfer of $10 Million From FEMA to ICE

WASHINGTON, Sept. 12 -- Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, D-Mississippi, ranking Democratic member of the House Homeland Security Committee, issued the following statement on news that the Trump administration has diverted $10 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to Immigration and Customs Enforcement's detention program:

"This is yet another example of the Trump Administration's outrageously misplaced homeland security priorities.

"We have a President who cares more about locking up families seeking asylum and putting kids in cages than ensuring FEMA has every resource necessary to prepare for and respond to disasters.

"The 2017 hurricane season made painfully clear that FEMA has limited capacity to respond to multiple disasters as it is. With Hurricane Florence bearing down on the Carolinas and Puerto Rico still struggling after Maria, FEMA absolutely cannot afford to have any of its resources diverted. The American people expect us to use their hard-earned tax dollars wisely.

I call on my Republican colleagues to reject any further efforts by their President to divert funding from FEMA and other crucial homeland security priorities."