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U.S. NEWS Saturday 22 June 2024
FEMA is ready for an extreme hurricane and wildfire season, but

money is a concern, Mayorkas says

By REBECCA SANTANA fund that we use to resource
Associated Press impacted communities, we
WASHINGTON (AP) — The expect it will run out by mid-
head of the Homeland Se- August. And we need Con-
curity Department said Fri- gress to fund the disaster
day that the agency tasked relief fund,” he said.
with responding to disasters If the fund runs out of mon-
across the country is pre- ey, it doesn’t mean the
pared as it goes into what agency doesn’t respond to
is expected to be an intense emergencies. Instead, the
hurricane and wildfire sea- agency goes into what’s
son but he’s concerned called immediate needs
about looming budget funding redirecting money
shortfalls. from other programs so it
As parts of the U.S. are swel- can respond to the most
tering under potentially urgent, lifesaving needs. But
record-breaking tempera- that can take away money
tures, Secretary Alejandro from longer-term recoveries.
Mayorkas said extreme Much of the United States
heat could qualify as a has been baking in a heat
major disaster under a law wave, with numerous areas
governing how the federal expected to see record-
government responds to breaking temperatures and
natural disasters but that lo- Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, center left, listens as Federal Emergency hot weather expected to
cal communities historically Management Agency administrator Deanne Criswell speaks during a briefing on the 2024 continue through the week-
have been able to deal with hurricane and wildfire outlook at FEMA headquarters on Friday, June 21, 2024, in Washington. end. The hot start to the sum-
major heat waves or wildfire Associated Press mer comes after the U.S. last
smoke without needing fed- lantic hurricane seasons on much practice respond- events,” Mayorkas said. year experienced the most
eral assistance. record as climate change ing to disasters as climate Against that backdrop, the heat waves since 1936.
Mayorkas spoke to The As- causes storms to become change has intensified. secretary said he was con- With climate change raising
sociated Press during a visit more intense. Already “They have exercised these cerned about the size of the temperatures nationwide,
to the headquarters of the Tropical Storm Alberto, the muscles regrettably year af- agency’s disaster relief fund. advocates and some mem-
Federal Emergency Man- season’s first named storm, ter year. As the impacts of That’s the primary way that bers of Congress have ques-
agement Agency for a brief- brought heavy rain to parts climate change have been FEMA funds its response to tioned whether heat waves
ing about the hurricane sea- of Mexico. more and more evident, we hurricanes, wildfires, floods should be considered natu-
son, which started on June 1. Mayorkas said one reason have seen and experienced and other disasters. ral disasters in the same way
Experts think this year could FEMA is prepared is that the increasing frequency and “We expect the disaster re- hurricanes, tornadoes and
be one of the busiest At- agency staff has gotten so gravity of extreme weather lief fund, which is the critical floods are. q

Border Patrol reports arrests are down 25% since Biden announced

new asylum restrictions

By REBECCA SANTANA tions in countries far from CBP. the country’s borders. of his campaign by saying
Associated Press the U.S. and on smugglers The U.S. has also benefit- Former President Donald he’s going to deport peo-
WASHINGTON (AP) — The who profit from global mi- ted from aggressive en- Trump, the presumptive ple in the country illegally
number of arrests by Border gration. forcement on the Mexican Republican nominee for en masse and take other
Patrol agents of people ille- Border Patrol made 117,900 side of the border, where president, has made im- measures to crack down
gally crossing into the Unit- arrests of people enter- Mexican authorities have migration a cornerstone on immigration.q
ed States fell in May to the ing the country between been working to prevent
third lowest of any month the official border crossing migrants from making their
during the Biden presiden- points in May, Customs and way to the U.S.-Mexico bor-
cy, while preliminary figures Border Protection said in der.
released Thursday show a news release. That’s 9% The figures are part of a
encounters with migrants lower than during April, the range of data related to im-
falling even more in the agency said. The agency migration, trade and drug
roughly two weeks since said preliminary data since seizures that is released
the president announced President Joe Biden’s June monthly by CBP. The immi-
new rules restricting asylum. 4 announcement restrict- gration-related figures are
The figures are likely wel- ing asylum access shows closely watched at a time
come news for a White arrests have fallen by 25%. of intense political scrutiny
House that has been strug- “Our enforcement efforts over who is entering the
gling to show to voters con- are continuing to reduce country and whether the
cerned over immigration southwest border encoun- Biden administration has a
that it has control of the ters. But the fact remains handle on the situation.
southern border. But the that our immigration system Immigration is a top con- A Border Patrol agent checks a migrant seeking asylum before
number of people com- is not resourced for what cern for voters, with many the man is transported and processed, Wednesday, June 5,
ing to the border is often in we are seeing,” said Troy A. saying Biden hasn’t been 2024, near Dulzura, Calif. Associated Press
flux, dependent on condi- Miller, the acting head of doing enough to secure