Wednesday, February 12, 2025

'Highway Robbery': NYC Hits Back over FEMA Funds Seized by Trump Administration

The $80 million in funding was clawed back after the Trump administration claimed the money was being used to house migrants in "luxury hotels."

More

NYC Comptroller: "This morning, my financial team shockingly uncovered that President Trump and his crony Elon Musk illegally executed a revocation of $80 million in congressionally-appropriated FEMA funding from New York City's bank accounts late yesterday afternoon. This is money that the federal government previously disbursed for shelter and services and is now missing. This highway robbery of our funds directly out of our bank account is a betrayal of everyone who calls New York City home."

"New York City cannot take this lying down. I call on the Mayor to immediately pursue legal action to ensure the tens of millions of dollars stolen by Trump and DOGE are rightfully returned. If instead Mayor Adams continues to be President Trump's pawn, my Office will request to work in partnership with the New York City Law Department to pursue aggressive legal action."

Comments

Yeah ... FEMA is for emergencies involving Americans, they're not Americans so we need that money back.

#1 | Posted by Bluewaffles at 2025-02-12 09:06 PM

Also if you guys want to help the illegals, start your own Gofundme

#2 | Posted by Bluewaffles at 2025-02-12 09:07 PM

They're not "illegals" you stupid stupid ----

#3 | Posted by truthhurts at 2025-02-12 09:14 PM

They're 100% illegals. They didn't come here with visas now did they?

#4 | Posted by Bluewaffles at 2025-02-12 09:17 PM

Yeah ... FEMA is for emergencies involving Americans, they're not Americans so we need that money back.

Posted by Bluewaffles at 2025-02-12 09:06 PM | Reply

You ignorant sap. FEMA is for anyone who finds themselves in a national crisis. It's not just for US Citizens. Good God Almighty.

#5 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2025-02-12 09:19 PM

They are illegal aliens. Also, Congress appropriates a lump sum to FEMA. From there the Executive decides how to utilize those funds and resources based on need. It's right in the name of the agency: Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Congress doesn't pull out a crystal ball when appropriating the money and determine in advance where natural disasters will occur. FEMA acted outside of its role here - it's an agency that serves at the direction of the president.

Funds allocated to New York to house illegal aliens is not an executive priority right now. In fact, it's prohibited. 4 people have been fired so far including FEMA's CFO.

#6 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-02-12 09:21 PM

"luxury hotels" is, of course, a lie

I suspect that is true. Have any of these luxury hotels been identified? I'd like to look them up and check on the level of luxury.

If FEMA is paying $2-3K per night to house individual migrants that should certainly be looked into.

#7 | Posted by REDIAL at 2025-02-12 09:28 PM

Laura, I didn't realize we sent FEMA funds to Africans or Europeans abroad. Please elaborate further ...

#8 | Posted by Bluewaffles at 2025-02-12 09:35 PM

I'd like to look them up and check on the level of luxury.

The article says the city was paying an average of $156/night for hotel rooms. Is that "luxury" in NYC? I always thought NYC was really expensive.

#9 | Posted by REDIAL at 2025-02-12 09:47 PM

They are illegal aliens.

The article says they are asylum seekers. Is seeking asylum illegal?

#10 | Posted by REDIAL at 2025-02-12 09:59 PM

Is seeking asylum illegal?

Depends on the color of your skin.

The more melanin you have, the more illegal it becomes.

#11 | Posted by ClownShack at 2025-02-12 10:03 PM

Yea they're illegals. So sorry if calling them what they are offends you, welcome back to reality.

#12 | Posted by Bluewaffles at 2025-02-12 11:02 PM

Illegal aliens is a racist term used to dehumanize an already vulnerable group of people. Just sayin

#13 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2025-02-12 11:11 PM

Laura Mohr,

Illegal alien is a legal term. It's right in our legal code.

#14 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-02-12 11:29 PM

Yea they're illegals.

Not yet. Entering a country to seek asylum is not illegal. Lewzer will fix that, but he hasn't yet.

#15 | Posted by REDIAL at 2025-02-12 11:34 PM

Illegal alien is a legal term. It's right in our legal code.

Posted by BellRinger at 2025-02-12 11:29 PM | Reply

It's also part of our racist heritage. I'm sure you want to continue with that racist heritage knowing what you called the people who picked our crops and mowed our lawns. Just sayin

#16 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2025-02-12 11:41 PM

"Entering a country to seek asylum is not illegal."

Only if they go through an established port of entry. Anyone with minimal paperwork can make an asylum claim at a port of entry. Because our asylum system is abused still doesn't change that - it's not open season to just come in wherever one wishes.

"I'm sure you want to continue with that racist heritage knowing what you called the people"

I didn't create the term and citing our legal code is not an act of racism.

#17 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-02-12 11:53 PM

The people in NYC were asylum seekers. It's as simple as that. Therefore, not illegal aliens.

#18 | Posted by REDIAL at 2025-02-12 11:56 PM

I didn't create the term and citing our legal code is not an act of racism.

Posted by BellRinger at 2025-02-12 11:53 PM | Reply

You're absolutely hopeless Jeff. Not surprisingly however.

#19 | Posted by LauraMohr at 2025-02-13 12:02 AM

Only if they go through an established port of entry.

That is not true either, provided that they present themselves right away as seeking asylum.

#20 | Posted by REDIAL at 2025-02-13 12:05 AM

It's a legal term, Laura Mohr.

www.ojp.gov

#21 | Posted by BellRinger at 2025-02-13 12:09 AM

That is not true either, provided that they present themselves right away as seeking asylum.
#20 | POSTED BY REDIAL

Maybe true in Canada.

But in the US, they have one full year to apply.

The statute specifically states that an asylum applicant must demonstrate "by clear and convincing evidence that the application has been filed within 1 year after the date of the [applicant's] arrival in the United States.
immigrationequality.org

#22 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-02-13 01:44 AM


The people in NYC were asylum seekers. It's as simple as that. Therefore, not illegal aliens.
#18 | POSTED BY REDIAL

Maybe, maybe not, some maybe, some might not be, how do you know?

#23 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-02-13 01:45 AM

Call them whatever you'd like, they're about to be going back to their point of origin soon. The free ride is over.

#24 | Posted by Bluewaffles at 2025-02-13 01:47 AM

"Entering a country to seek asylum is not illegal."

Its criminal, a felony, to not enter the country without authorization via a PoE.

Its only a civil offense to be in the country without authorization. Which can happen via visa expiration etc etc.

#25 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-02-13 01:49 AM

Its criminal, a felony, to not enter the country without authorization via a PoE.

Damn its late, ... Its a felony to enter the country without authorization.

#26 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-02-13 01:50 AM


Call them whatever you'd like, they're about to be going back to their point of origin soon. The free ride is over.
#24 | POSTED BY BLUEWAFFLES

They are more offended at Bellringers legal nomenclature, than the killing of Laken Riley

#27 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-02-13 01:51 AM

Maybe true in Canada.

It's true in any country that is a signatory of the Geneva Convention of 28 July 1951.

This includes the USA, until Lewzer pulls out of it.

#28 | Posted by REDIAL at 2025-02-13 01:56 AM

It's true in any country that is a signatory of the Geneva Convention of 28 July 1951.

They don't have to report immediately.

In the US the applicant has one year to apply. Read the link.

#29 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-02-13 01:58 AM

Can I Still Apply for Asylum Even if I Am in the United States Illegally?
Yes. You may apply for asylum with USCIS regardless of your immigration status if:

You are not currently in removal proceedings
You file an asylum application within 1 year of arriving to the United States or demonstrate that you are within an exception to that rule.
www.uscis.gov

#30 | Posted by oneironaut at 2025-02-13 02:01 AM

They don't have to report immediately.

They do if they enter illegally. Some tidbits from the UN Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, of which the US is a signatory:

The contracting states shall not:

-discriminate against refugees (Article 3)

-take exceptional measures against a refugee solely on account of his or her nationality (Article 8)

-impose penalties on refugees who entered illegally in search of asylum if they present themselves without delay (Article 31), which is commonly interpreted to mean that their unlawful entry and presence ought not to be prosecuted at all

-expel refugees (Article 32)

-forcibly return or "refoul" refugees to the country they have fled from (Article 33). It is widely accepted that the prohibition of forcible return is part of customary international law.

#31 | Posted by REDIAL at 2025-02-13 02:08 AM

Yes! No more federal money for illegals!

#32 | Posted by THEBULL at 2025-02-13 09:33 AM

Asylum seekers have been rebranded as illegal brown-skinned aliens under Trump. And fnkc what your Bible says about asylum seekers, but you never read the gaddomned book anyway if you're a Trumper

#33 | Posted by hamburglar at 2025-02-13 11:18 AM

Was this monies given by congress?

#34 | Posted by fresno500 at 2025-02-13 05:37 PM

Yes Fresno, however ... Trump can return the monies to congress and by simple majority they can pass a resolution to take the money back.

#35 | Posted by Bluewaffles at 2025-02-13 09:43 PM

I call on the Mayor

His face is firmly planted in between to pasty white ---------- of hair furor. Don't hold your breath.

Eric pledged fealty to king donny in exchange for his get out of jail free card.

Now's the time for the governor and AG of NYS to step up and prosecute this criminal.

#36 | Posted by Nixon at 2025-02-14 12:06 PM

Now's the time for the governor and AG of NYS to step up and prosecute this criminal.

#36 | Posted by Nixon at 2025-02-14 12:06 PM | Reply | Flag:

This is hilarious. That's all it takes for you to turn on a criminal politician? Work with a president from across the aisle and "B00M! -------, prosecute that man"

Hey dumbass, you knew he was a criminal before he agreed to work with Trump.

#37 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2025-02-14 01:47 PM

Your government was using our tax dollars to house/feed and school illegal immigrants while our own citizens who paid the said tax dollars were sleeping in a tent following Hurricane Helene.

www.thecentersquare.com

#38 | Posted by lfthndthrds at 2025-02-14 01:51 PM

#21 - Illegal aliens like Melani Drumpf who was here working as a prostitute and porn model when she did not have a work visa and her entry visa was expired, and then brought her parents into the country via "chain migration." Or maybe like Felon Musk who admits he overstayed his visa and was working in the country illegally, they both committed perjury on their citizenship papers and to the judge who swore them in as citizens, they should have their citizenship stripped and be sent to Gitmo, because it's for the worst of the worst.

#39 | Posted by _Gunslinger_ at 2025-02-14 04:24 PM

Drudge Retort Headlines

Putin Aide Rejects Trump's Temporary Ukraine Ceasefire Offer (39 comments)

Portugal Wobbles on Buying F-35s Because of Trump (27 comments)

Trump Invokes Rarely-Used Alien Enemies Act (26 comments)

Monster Storm Across U.S. (17 comments)

Musk's DOGE Shutters $1B Affordable Housing Program (13 comments)

ICE Returns All Migrants from Gitmo to Stateside Facilities (13 comments)

Trump's Economic Troubles Put Republicans on the Defensive (12 comments)

Trump and Putin: An Authoritarian Alliance That Poses a Danger to All of Us (12 comments)

Tulsi Gabbard Revokes Security Clearances of Biden Officials (11 comments)

NTSB Report on Deadly Midair Collision DCA (10 comments)