Rep. Wasserman Schultz Issues Statement on Trump Administration Diverting Disaster Relief Funding to Immigration Activities

WASHINGTON, Aug. 28 -- Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida, issued the following statement in response to the Trump administration's request to divert appropriated funding to expand its immigration activities:

"The Department of Homeland Security's July 26 reprogramming and transfer notification is the latest example of this rogue Trump Administration's reckless disrespect for Congress's power of the purse and represents yet another affront to our Constitution by this president.

"To steal funds from FEMA, the U.S. Coast Guard, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, TSA, and other accounts to pay for more beds to further increase the incarceration of migrant families is cruel, dangerous and irresponsible - not to mention completely unnecessary.

"It is the Administration's own excessive enforcement actions - which violate Congressional intent - and its cruel, unprecedented asylum policies that are being used to justify DHS's notification.

"It is also disturbing that this Administration is so barbaric and uncaring as to raid FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund to augment its own dangerous "remain-in-Mexico" asylum policies, while a severe storm bears down on Americans who have recently been ravaged by hurricanes. There are no limits to Trump's irrational, callous behavior, or to this Administration's disregard for the will of a coequal branch of government."