Under President Donald Trump, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has reportedly clawed back more than $80 million in funding from New York City intended to house migrants. The move has escalated an ongoing dispute between New York City officials and the Trump administration in the battle to rein in federal government spending.
According to reports, the administration revoked a $59 million grant and another $21.5 million awarded as aid to the city. NYC Comptroller Brand Lander claimed the money had disappeared overnight. Furthermore, New York City Mayor Eric Adams stated that officials have reached out to the White House about getting the funds back.
Lander slammed the Trump administration after the funds were yanked, claiming they were “stolen.” He said, “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.”
Adams claimed that he “learned about the federal government clawing back more than $80 million in FEMA grants applied for and awarded under the last administration, but not disbursed until last week.” He further noted, “While we conduct an internal investigation into how this occurred, our office has already engaged with the White House about recouping these funds and we’ve requested an emergency meeting with FEMA to try and resolve the matter as quickly as possible. The Corporation Counsel is already exploring various litigation options.”
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem recently took to social media, announcing her efforts in clawing back the funds provided to migrant hotels. “I have clawed back the full payment that FEMA deep state activists unilaterally gave to NYC migrant hotels. FEMA was funding the Roosevelt Hotel that serves as a Tren de Aragua base of operations and was used to house Laken Riley’s killer. Mark my words: there will not be a single penny spent that goes against the interest and safety of the American people,” she said.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt explained in a recent briefing that President Trump is focused on deploying FEMA funding toward Americans who are suffering from natural disasters, such as the Los Angeles wildfires and Hurricane Helene. “[President Trump is] here for a reason, and he is focused every day on implementing his administration’s goals and sending 59 million bucks to a migrant hotel to house illegal immigrants when there are still people in North Carolina and California who have not received FEMA funding,” she said.
Musk also slammed the funding that was allegedly sent to “luxury hotels” to house illegal immigrants. “The @DOGE team just discovered that FEMA sent $59M LAST WEEK to luxury hotels in New York City to house illegal migrants. Sending this money violated the law and is in gross insubordination to the President’s executive order. That money is meant for American disaster relief and instead is being spent on high end hotels for illegals! A clawback demand will be made today to recoup those funds,” Musk wrote.
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Watch Noem brilliantly maneuver a CNN interview below:
Popular conservative commentator Amuse replied to Musk, “The crazier part of the story Elon? The FEMA money went to Pakistan as they own the Roosevelt Hotel. Senator Schumer arranged for FEMA to divert disaster aid to the Pakistani government so the hotel could be used to house the illegal migrants.”