FEMA's Criswell dismisses 'ridiculous' Helene recovery falsehoods

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell discussed recovery from Hurricane Helene across the Southeast and pushed back on baseless claims about the agency’s funding, calling them “ridiculous.”

“You know, it's really a shame that we're putting politics ahead of helping people, and that's what we're here to do,” Criswell told ABC “This Week” anchor George Stephanopoulos on Sunday.

Asked about the impact of disinformation on recovery efforts, Criswell said it has a “tremendous impact” on the comfort level of FEMA employees in the field. “It’s also demoralizing to all of the first responders that have been out there in their communities helping people,” she said.

Criswell spoke about Helene's path of destruction that has left many reeling across the Southeast. The storm’s death toll stands at 227, according to The Associated Press.

Helene made landfall on Florida’s Gulf Coast on Sept. 26 as a Category 4 hurricane and tore through Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee, the deadliest storm to hit the mainland U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Hundreds of thousands across the Southeast do not have electricity and search and rescue missions continue across North Carolina.

“We are still actively supporting the governor in the search for individuals,” said Criswell. “But at the same time, we continue to move in critical commodities into the places that have been hard to reach.”

Former President Donald Trump and other Republicans have pushed false claims about FEMA funding being directed to undocumented immigrants. Criswell called the disinformation “frankly ridiculous and just plain false.”

In a memo Saturday, the White House said that this false information could “discourage people from seeking critical assistance."

"A number of scam artists, bad-faith actors, and others who want to sow chaos because they think it helps their political interests are promoting disinformation about the recovery effort, including ways to access critical and live-saving resources,” wrote White House Communications Director Ben LaBolt and Director of Digital Strategy Christian Tom. “This is wrong, dangerous, and it must stop immediately."

It emphasized that funding for migrant services is administered by FEMA through a separate program.

To counter these falsehoods, FEMA launched a Rumor Response page to provide accurate information about disaster relief.

Criswell told Stephanopoulos that FEMA has enough resources, noting that the agency moved in resources and staff before the storm.

Vice President Kamala Harris visited Charlotte, North Carolina, on Saturday, where she met with local leaders to discuss the region’s recovery efforts and met with first responders. Former President Donald Trump visited the state on Friday, where he continued to espouse baseless claims about FEMA funding.

President Joe Biden sent a letter to Congress late Friday night, warning that funding for the Small Business Administration’s disaster relief program was running low. He called on lawmakers to restore funding.

Biden wrote that while FEMA and the Department of Defense are adequately funded to address Helene’s immediate impacts, they may need additional money in the future.

In a recent interview with Fox Digital, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., criticized the Biden administration for its response to the storm. He said that Congress can’t act until local authorities project the estimated cost of damages.

Criswell also said that FEMA is “absolutely” prepared for Tropical Storm Milton, which is expected to make landfall in Florida by midweek. Criswell said she has spoken with Gov. Ron DeSantis, R-Fla., about the storm.

In the wake of Hurricane Helene, ABC News' "Good Morning America" is set to provide five days of special coverage titled "Southeast Strong: Help After Helene"(#SoutheastStrong), spotlighting communities across the southeast impacted by Hurricane Helene and the urgent efforts to help them recover.