Speaker of the House Mike Johnson addressed claims that the Biden administration diverted Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funds to immigration efforts, saying the pools of funds are “different,” but that he understands why Americans are “frustrated.” 

“The streams of funding are different, that is not an untrue statement, of course,” Johnson, R-La., told Fox News’ Shannon Bream on “Fox News Sunday.” “But the problem is with the American people, see, and what they’re frustrated by, is that FEMA should be involved. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, their mission is to help people in times like this of natural disaster. Not to be engaged in using any pool of funding from any account for resettling illegal aliens who have come across the border. That’s what the Biden administration, Kamala Harris and Secretary Mayorkas have been engaged in.” 

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre last week denied that FEMA resources were going to migrants, but cited FEMA funds for migrants in 2022.

“Former President Trump is accusing the Biden administration of using FEMA funding to support undocumented migrants.  How is the White House responding to that?” a reporter asked during a Friday press conference.

FEMA HAS FUNDS NEEDED FOR ‘IMMEDIATE RESPONSE AND RECOVERY,’ DESPITE MAYORKAS’ WARNING

“I mean, it’s just categorically false. It is not true. It is a false statement,” Jean-Pierre responded. 

Critics have since compared her statement to comments made in 2022, where she cited FEMA resources were available to illegal immigrants.

“FEMA Regional Administrators have been meeting with city officials on site to coordinate – to coordinate available federal support from FEMA and other federal agencies,” Jean-Pierre told reporters at a Sept. 16, 2022, press conference. 

“Funding is also available through FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter program to eligible local governments and not-for-profit organizations upon request to support humanitarian relief for migrants,” she added.

FEMA has a pool of funds explicitly used for natural disasters, while Congress called on FEMA in 2022 to disseminate funds from Customs and Border Protection to assist American communities affected by the immigration crisis.

KJP SLAMMED AFTER HURRICANE HELENE OVER MIXED MESSAGES ON WHETHER FEMA RESOURCES USED FOR MIGRANTS

FEMA’s website currently has a “Hurricane Helene: Rumor Response” page to address false claims surrounding recovery efforts, including a rebuke of the claim that FEMA diverted disaster response funds to “border related issues.”

“This is false. No money is being diverted from disaster response needs. FEMA’s disaster response efforts and individual assistance is funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster efforts. Disaster Relief Fund money has not been diverted to other, non-disaster related efforts,” FEMA posted in response to the claim. 

Hurricane Helene has left more than 220 people dead after flooding devastated towns and cities across Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.

Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas drew national attention last week when he indicated that FEMA does not have enough funding to make it through hurricane season, which typically wraps up in November. 

LAWMAKERS OUTRAGED OVER FEMA FUNDING CONCERNS

“We are meeting the immediate needs with the money that we have. We are expecting another hurricane hitting,” he said Wednesday, heightening concerns around funds for Americans left displaced by the hurricane. “FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season.”

The DHS, however, said the following day that FEMA has the funds needed to assist those currently affected. 

“FEMA has what it needs for immediate response and recovery efforts,” spokesperson Jaclyn Rothenberg said on X. “As [Administrator Deanne Criswell] said, she has the full authority to spend against the President’s budget, but we’re not out of hurricane season yet so we need to keep a close eye on it.”

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ‘FAILED TO ACT’ IN HURRICANE HELENE AFTERMATH: REP. CORY MILLS

Johnson said during his interview Sunday that when citizens take public transportation and spot illegal immigrants traveling the nation, their tickets are “gleefully” paid for by the Biden-Harris administration via non-governmental organizations. 

“When you see illegals in your local airport and you see them being transported around the country with planes, trains and automobiles to every community, everywhere, every state’s a border state now, because of that. That’s the NGOs, the non-governmental organizations mostly, that are transporting those people around. And then they send the receipts to the federal government,” he continued. 

“And Biden, Harris and Mayorkas gleefully pay those receipts because they open the border intentionally. The American people are disgusted by this. They’re fed up with it, and so are Republicans in Congress. And it’ll stop after Nov. 5 because we’re going to have a unified government with Republicans in charge, and we will bring sanity back to this situation,” he added. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.  

Fox News Digital’s Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report. 

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., on Sunday said that he will continue to “support and follow” Israel after seeing how the Jewish State has been able to humiliate Iran and its proxies, Hamas and Hezbollah.

Fetterman made the remarks on “Fox News Sunday,” telling anchor Shannon Bream that Israel knows best about how to take on Iran and the regime’s proxies.

“Whatever they decide to do in response to Iran, I’m going to support that because Israel will have a better idea of the intelligence and the circumstances on the ground,” Fetterman said. “And that’s why I’m going to support and follow that.”

The Democrat praised Israel for their effective responses against Hezbollah and Hamas that he said left the Iranian proxies “cowering.” 

BIDEN SAYS HE WOULD NOT BACK ISRAELI STRIKE ON IRAN’S NUCLEAR SITE

“I also want to celebrate what Israel has been able to do,” Fetterman said. “They’ve demolished Hamas and now they have humiliated Hezbollah and they are now cowering. And Iran shot, you know, 200 missiles and [Israel] vaporized those. So, Iran now is left exposed and humiliated, and Israel has put them back on the ropes. And I am going to support what they continue to do.”

Iran bombarded Israel with 181 missiles last week in what the regime said was retaliation for the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Beirut, Lebanon, in an Israeli airstrike in September and the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran in July. 

Meanwhile, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon have traded attacks with Israel since the Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7.

Fetterman’s comments come days after President Biden told reporters that he would not support an attack by Israel on Iranian nuclear sites in retaliation for Iran’s missile attack against Israel amid fears that a lethal regional war is around the corner.

Biden said all the G7 leaders on a recent call – France, Canada, Japan, Britain, Italy and Germany – agreed that Israel had the right to “proportionally” respond to Iran’s military strike.

TRUMP SAYS ISRAEL SHOULD HIT IRAN’S NUCLEAR FACILITIES, SLAMMING BIDEN’S RESPONSE

Biden’s response came under fire from former President Trump, who told Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin on Thursday that Biden’s response on Israel attacking Iran was the “craziest thing I’ve ever heard. That’s the biggest risk we have. The biggest risk we have is nuclear.”

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday called out Western leaders who he said had called for an arms embargo on Israel over its airstrikes against Hamas in Gaza. 

“As Israel fights the forces of barbarism led by Iran, all civilized countries should be standing firmly by Israel’s side, yet President Macron and other western leaders are now calling for arms embargoes against Israel. Shame on them,” Netanyahu said in a statement.

He continued, “Is Iran imposing an arms embargo on Hezbollah, on the Houthis, on Hamas and on its other proxies? Of course not. This axis of terror stands together, but countries who supposedly oppose this terror axis call for an arms embargo on Israel.”

Fox News’ Brie Stimson contributed to this report.

Voters attending a rally for Vice President Kamala Harris in Flint, Michigan, argued that the Democratic nominee is better on immigration and that former President Trump is to blame for the current situation at the border.

“She comes with compassion and a plan,” one voter attending the Harris rally Friday told Fox News Digital. “We know that we have problems down there, but we have to do it specifically to make the changes… just throwing out rhetoric and building a wall is not going to do it. This is about people’s lives who have come here because they’re in distress and danger, and we need to help them because that’s who we are.”

The comments come as both Trump and Harris made multiple appearances in Michigan last week, highlighting the critical importance of a swing state that could decide the fate of November’s election.

KAMALA HARRIS’ SUPPORT WITH ARAB AND MUSLIM COMMUNITIES IN MICHIGAN IS ‘TENUOUS’: DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST

With the election just over four weeks away, polling shows Michigan could be decided by a razor-thin margin once again. According to the Real Clear Politics polling average as of Sunday, Harris currently holds a narrow 0.7 point edge in the state.

At the top of mind for voters in Michigan at both Trump and Harris rallies last week was immigration, with both sides agreeing that work needed to be done to secure the southern border. But while Trump supporters mostly pin the blame on the Biden administration, Harris supporters in Flint argued that it was Trump’s effort to kill President Biden’s bipartisan border legislation that was to blame for the current situation.

“She has worked on a bill that she said that if she’s elected she’s going to sign into law that directly puts more people on the front line that would actually be helping with the border, while Trump shot that down,” a voter told Fox News Digital.

TRUMP SAYS ISRAEL SHOULD HIT IRAN’S NUCLEAR FACILITIES, SLAMMING BIDEN’S RESPONSE

“The Biden administration tried to put through an act that would make border crossings more limited and better. It was basically a slam dunk, Trump went and told his people ‘Hey, we need to shoot this down, we can’t let them get a win,’” another voter said.

Meanwhile, some voters argued that all Trump brings to the table on the issue is “rhetoric” that divides people, while Harris has the experience to solve the problem.

“Harris is better on immigration because she’s experienced in border security, the policies and legislation that are necessary to result in a secure border,” a voter said. “Border security is a complex issue which requires a plan that’s very specific, detailed, and complex. A complex problem needs a complex solution… what we hear from former President Trump is essentially rhetoric and simple verbiage that’s not going to solve a complex problem.”

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson slammed the Biden administration’s handling of Hurricane Helene relief efforts, calling the federal government’s response an “abject failure.” 

“At the federal level, this has been a massive failure. And you could just ask the people there on the ground. I have been there. I was in Georgia. I was in Florida, where Hurricane Helene made landfall there on the coast. And then we’ll be going to the hardest hit parts of North Carolina on Wednesday of this week. When you talk to the people who are directly affected, they will tell you that this has been an abject failure,” Johnson, R-La., told Fox News’ Shannon Bream during an interview on “Fox News Sunday.” 

Hurricane Helene has left more than 220 people dead after flooding devastated towns and cities across Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee.

Johnson went on to say that the nation had more than a week’s warning of the hurricane, and that FEMA should have been better prepared to assist victims. 

SPEAKER JOHNSON RIPS ‘LACK OF LEADERSHIP’ IN BIDEN ADMIN’S HELENE RESPONSE: ‘ALARMED AND DISAPPOINTED’

“FEMA has lost sight of its core mission, I think, in so many cases. And the administration has not shown that they were prepared for this eventuality and this terrible disaster. The thing about hurricanes, Shannon, is that we know that they’re coming well in advance. You know, they had more than a week’s notice of this, and yet we still have people who have not been served and even rescued in North Carolina. It is a heartbreaking, tragic and infuriating situation to have the federal government fail as they have,” he said. 

NORTH CAROLINA REELING FROM DEVASTATING HELENE AS DEATH TOLL CLIMBS: ‘NEVER SEEN ANYTHING QUITE LIKE THIS’

Republican elected officials, Elon Musk and volunteers have spoken out against the government’s response to the hurricane, as crews continue searching for missing people and bodies across the affected region. 

HURRICANE HELENE: NORTH CAROLINA RESIDENTS FIGHT FOR THEIR SURVIVAL AS BASIC GOODS BECOME SCARCE

“There’s just a complete failure of weak leadership here in North Carolina, the federal government, and it takes mind-strong leadership in Florida to send us up here,” Florida Guard Special Missions Unit’s Jon Howard, who is assisting rescue efforts in North Carolina, said on Fox News last week. “If it wasn’t for [Gov. Ron] DeSantis sending the state guard special missions unit up here, this never even would have happened. But there’s just no support here. There’s no leadership.”

“When we meet these locals on the ground, they’re asking, like, ‘You’re from the state guard?’ I’m like, ‘I am from Florida,’ and they’re like, ‘Where’s North Carolina?’ You know, they’re asking where their leadership is,” he continued. “They have no understanding of what’s going on, and then we’ve even had people, officials here, try to kick us out of Lakemoor, out of Chimney Rock… Nonsense stuff. They’re asking me for my authorizations to be here… It’s the most insane thing you would ever see. It’s like they want these people to die.”

Musk slammed FEMA on Friday for “blocking” shipments of Starlink satellite internet deliveries to North Carolina as ravaged areas try to get back online. 

TRUMP TARGETS BIDEN, HARRIS OVER FEDERAL RESPONSE TO HURRICANE: ‘INCOMPETENTLY MANAGED’

“FEMA is not merely failing to adequately help people in trouble, but is actively blocking citizens who try to help!” Musk posted on X. 

Musk said later that day that the problem was “resolved,” crediting Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, with FEMA denying any claims it confiscated any supplies for hurricane victims. 

President Biden surveyed damage from the hurricane in North Carolina and South Carolina last week, as well as spoke and met with victims in Florida and Georgia on Thursday, and called on Congress to replenish funds for disaster relief programs. 

Johnson continued that Congress will be back in session immediately following the election on Nov. 5 to address additional funding to FEMA for potential additional hurricanes and natural disasters in the immediate future. 

ELON MUSK SLAMS FEMA OVER HELENE RESPONSE IN NORTH CAROLINA AS SPACEX LOOKS TO SET UP NEW STARLINKS

“Congress will do its job. Remember that before we left Washington, the day before Helene hit, by the way, made landfall, Congress appropriated 20 billion additional dollars to FEMA so that they would have the immediate dollars they need to address the immediate needs. Then after that, Congress always takes its – the due approach of providing what is necessary,” he said, explaining that Congress first needs to see estimates on the damage from states, which he said can take time to calculate. 

A photojournalist lit himself on fire outside the White House on Saturday in protest against Israel’s war in Gaza and America’s support for the regime.

The man, Samuel Mena Jr., lit his left arm on fire and was seen screaming in pain and shouting that the media was spreading “misinformation.” Law enforcement officers quickly surrounded Mena and restrained him, putting out the fire.

One bystander could be seen pouring a bottle of water on Mena’s arm after the flames were extinguished.

A blog posted to Mena’s website shortly before the incident suggested he only intended to burn his arm.

HAMAS TERRORISTS ‘SYSTEMATICALLY AND INTENTIONALLY’ COMMITTED SEXUAL VIOLENCE DURING OCT. 7 ATTACK: REPORT

“To the 10 thousand children in Gaza that have lost a limb in this conflict, I give my left arm to you. I pray my voice was able to raise up yours, and that your smiles never disappear,” Mena wrote.

The blog also says Mena first tried to end the “genocide” in Gaza by making a documentary. He later gave up on the effort, however, convinced that it wouldn’t make a difference.

DOJ CHARGES HAMAS LEADERS OVER ‘TERRORIST ATROCITIES’ IN OCT 7 ISRAEL ATTACK

Mena’s social media profiles say he worked for the local CBS affiliate AZFamily and graduated from Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism.

Authorities transported Mena to the hospital soon after the incident and confirmed that his injuries were not life-threatening.

“The District of Columbia has a long and proud history of peaceful first amendment activities and the Metropolitan Police Department handles hundreds of protests, demonstrations and other events every year,” first responders said in a statement.

“We will continue to support those who choose to protest peaceful and safely, and we will continue to hold accountable those who commit criminal acts while in our city,” the added.

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The incident comes months after a member of the U.S. Air Force set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in February. Senior Airman Aaron Bushnell, 25, also carried out the act in protest against Israel’s campaign in Gaza, saying in a recorded video that he would “no longer be complicit in genocide.”

Tech billionaire Elon Musk’s political action committee is offering a starting salary of $30 an hour to individuals seeking to increase voter registration and turnout, the PAC’s website shows. 

“JOIN OUR TEAM,” Musk-founded America PAC reads on its website. “Email us if you are interested in working on increasing voter registration and voter turnout. Pay starts at $30 per hour, with bonuses for performance.”

Musk endorsed former President Trump earlier this summer as the 45th president seeks to again win the Oval Office. The Tesla founder joined Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday evening as Trump made a historic return to the town following an assassination attempt that left him bloodied and injured on July 13 during a rally. 

“I think it’s the most important election of our lifetime. This is no ordinary election. The other side wants to take away your freedom of speech. They want to take away your right to bear arms… They want to take away your right to vote effectively,” Musk told the crowd on Saturday. 

ELON MUSK’S PRO-TRUMP SUPER PAC LAUNCHES WEBSITE TO INCREASE CANVASSERS IN BATTLEGROUND STATES

Musk repeatedly encouraged the crowds to get everyone in their social circles and beyond to register and vote come Election Day. 

TRUMP CHATS WITH MUSK IN LENGTHY, OVERARCHING INTERVIEW AS HARRIS CONTINUES SNUBBING MEDIA

“And honestly, you want to just be a pest. Just be a pest to everyone. You know, people on the street everywhere,” he said. 

“Fight, fight, fight, vote, vote, vote,” Musk added, referring to how Trump shouted “fight, fight, fight” to the crowds after he was shot in the ear in July. 

MUSK ENERGIZES TRUMP SUPPORTERS AT BUTLER RALLY, 3 MONTHS AFTER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON FORMER PRESIDENT

His comments follow closely with the mission of his America PAC, which says it works to promote “free speech, free markets, and a merit-based society.” Musk launched the super PAC’s website last month to bolster canvassing efforts in key battleground states like Nevada, Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Georgia and North Carolina, as well as in individual competitive districts across the country. 

The PAC was officially formed earlier in the summer, with Federal Election Commission (FEC) filings from late last month showing the America PAC has already invested at least $2.4 million in more than a dozen key congressional races. Musk said in July he planned to commit about $45 million a month to the super PAC. 

ELON MUSK CALLS 2024 A ‘MUST-WIN SITUATION’ FOR FREE SPEECH, TOUTS TRUMP’S CHARACTER AFTER BEING ‘UNDER FIRE’

Social media commenters took note of the canvassing efforts through the America PAC, underscoring the high hourly pay, which is a more than a 300% increase compared to the federal hourly minimum wage of $7.25. 

Turning Point Action and America PAC joined forces in Wisconsin, Politico reported last week, to help bolster the Republican Party’s get-out-the-vote ground game. 

“We’ve always known bodies in the field equals ballots in the box,” Andrew Kolvet, a spokesperson for Turning Point, told Politico. “This partnership will be a major lift to our efforts to ensure our ballot chasers are able to maximize their impact in Wisconsin.”

Musk, who has described himself as a “historically moderate Democrat,” hosted Trump for a two-hour conversation streamed on X in August that included the 45th president speaking at length about immigration woes, spiraling inflation issues, the assassination attempt against his life, and policies he would implement if he wins on Nov. 5.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.   

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz sought to distance Vice President Kamala Harris from laws he himself signed that granted benefits to illegal immigrants in Minnesota on Sunday.

Walz made the comments during a wide-ranging interview on Fox News Sunday with host Shannon Bream. Bream pressed Walz on his military history and his record on abortion in addition to questioning him on legislation he signed in Minnesota that allows illegal immigrants to obtain driver’s licenses and receive state-funded tuition assistance, among other benefits.

“Are those not magnets to draw people here, many times on dangerous journeys for themselves? And why should your taxpayers in Minnesota or across the states pay for those programs?” Bream asked.

“Well, that’s not the vice president’s position,” Walz admitted, before going on to defend his leadership in Minnesota. 

TRUMP CAMPAIGN PUSHES BACK ON ‘SNL’ SKIT ABOUT ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS: ‘DISGUSTING’

“But I will say this, Minnesota ranks as a top five business state. We rank as a top three state for children living, and we’re a top state for health care access,” he said. “Look, the Vice President has made it clear that she has policies that make a difference. Her border policies are the most strongest, the fairest we’ve seen.”

Bream also challenged Walz to clarify his ticket’s position on abortion access. The exchange ultimately led to Walz flatly accusing former President Trump of lying when he said he would not sign a national abortion ban into law.

Bream began by pointing out that Minnesota’s abortion law imposes no limits on abortion procedures through all nine months of pregnancy, something that goes far beyond the provisions of Roe v. Wade, which Harris and Walz said they support.

“You signed the bill that makes it legal through all nine months. Is that a position you think Democrats should advocate for nationally?” Bream asked.

“The vice president and I have been clear the restoration of Roe versus Wade is what we’re asking for,” Walz responded.

HARRIS CAMPAIGN PLEDGES MORE MEDIA INTERVIEWS AS VOTERS STILL HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT HER POLICIES

“But that law goes far beyond Roe v. Wade,” Bream pressed. “Let’s agree, in what you signed there’s not a single limit through nine months of pregnancy. Roe had a trimester framework that did have limits through the pregnancy. The Minnesota law does not have that.”

“This doesn’t change anything. It puts the decision back on to the woman, to the physicians,” Walz responded. “And we know that this is simply something to be brought up – to be very clear Donald Trump’s asking for a nationwide abortion ban.”

“[Trump] has said repeatedly that he will not sign a national abortion ban. Are you calling that a flat out lie?” Bream asked.

“Yes, of course, and Senator Vance has in the past said so too,” Walz said.

Bream concluded the interview by giving Walz a chance to respond to criticism of his frequent “misstatements,” such as his claims about military service and his assertion that he was in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square massacre.

“Look, I speak passionately. I had an entire career, decades before I was in public office. They know, and I’m very proud of my 24 years in service and my record. I have never disparaged someone else in this, but I know that’s not what Donald Trump does. They disparage everyone,” Walz said.

“I will own up when I misspeak. I will own up when I make a mistake. Let’s be very clear. On that debate stage the other night, I asked one very simple question and Senator Vance would not acknowledge that Donald Trump lost the 2020 election,” he finished.

Users on social media took aim at Vice President Kamala Harris after the Democratic nominee took to X to pledge millions of dollars in aid for Lebanon at the same time residents of North Carolina struggle to recover from Hurricane Helene.

“This has to be fake. Even Kamala Harris, the gold standard of stupid, isn’t stupid enough to post this,” actor James Woods said on X Saturday. “Certainly not while North Carolinians are pulling the bodies of their neighbors from the wreckage. It’s simply inconceivable.”

The post came in response to Harris pledging Saturday to send $157 million of “additional assistance” to Lebanon, which, she argued, is “facing an increasingly dire humanitarian situation.”

AXELROD SAYS ‘UPSCALE’ NC HARRIS VOTERS WILL FIND WAY TO VOTE AFTER STORM, NOT SURE ABOUT RURAL TRUMP FANS

“I am concerned about the security and well-being of civilians suffering in Lebanon and will continue working to help meet the needs of all civilians there,” the vice president said, adding that the money would go to “essential needs,” including “food, shelter, water, protection, and sanitation to help those who have been displaced by the recent conflict.”

Users on social media were quick to slam Harris for the post, arguing that many North Carolina residents are struggling to recover from Hurricane Helene and that the money would be better spent on those relief efforts.

“Could this be any more tone deaf? We have Americans suffering and in danger right now after the hurricane and this is what Kamala has to announce. America First!” Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., said on X.

PANTHERS OWNERS DONATES $3 MILLION TO HURRICANE HELENE RELIEF EFFORTS; BUCS ALSO GIVE 7 FIGURES

“To be clear – Kamala Harris’ campaign-suicidal post this evening focusing on LEBANON while major disaster rescues and recovery are underway is an admission she is losing Michigan right now.,” journalist Eric Daugherty said in a post.

“Kamala is touting giving money to the people of Lebanon-while stiff-arming the humanitarian crisis in North Carolina,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said on X. “This is Kamala’s Katrina.”

The controversial tweet comes as the Biden administration has continued to face backlash for its handling of Helene, with former President Trump calling the federal response to the disaster the “most incompetently managed ‘storm,’ at the federal level, ever seen before.”

“Kamala and Sleepy Joe are universally being given POOR GRADES for the way that they are handling the Hurricane, especially in North Carolina,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

The White House and Harris campaign did not immediately respond to a Fox News Digital request for comment.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is facing heavy criticism after sending mixed messages on whether the Biden-Harris administration has been using FEMA resources to support migrants last week.

Jean-Pierre flatly denied that FEMA resources were going to migrants in a press conference last week, but she stated the opposite when asked about the issue in the fall of 2022.

“Former President Trump is accusing the Biden administration of using FEMA funding to support undocumented migrants.  How is the White House responding to that?” a reporter asked during a Friday press conference.

“I mean, it’s just categorically false. It is not true. It is a false statement,” Jean-Pierre responded, going on to cite a Washington Post fact-check article on the subject.

LAWMAKERS OUTRAGED OVER FEMA FUNDING CONCERNS

Social media critics then compared her statement to comments made in 2022, where she appeared to explicitly state that FEMA resources were available to illegal immigrants.

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ‘FAILED TO ACT’ IN HURRICANE HELENE AFTERMATH: REP. CORY MILLS

She made the statement during a Sept. 16, 2022, press conference when Jean-Pierre was asked about assisting cities in handling the busloads of migrants being sent across the country from Texas.

“FEMA Regional Administrators have been meeting with city officials on site to coordinate — to coordinate available federal support from FEMA and other federal agencies,” Jean-Pierre told reporters at the time.

GEOGRAPHIC TERRITORY OF HURRICANE DISASTER IS ‘GIGANTIC’: REP JARED MOSKOWITZ

“Funding is also available through FEMA’s Emergency Food and Shelter program to eligible local governments and not-for-profit organizations upon request to support humanitarian relief for migrants,” she added.

Scrutiny on the Biden-Harris administration’s use of FEMA funds comes amid catastrophic flooding in North Carolina. Vice President Kamala Harris announced a $100 million package to support the state.

Critics pointed out, however, that the package was much smaller than the $157 million in foreign humanitarian support Harris had announced for Lebanon the same day.

“The people of Lebanon are facing an increasingly dire humanitarian situation. I am concerned about the security and well-being of civilians suffering in Lebanon and will continue working to help meet the needs of all civilians there,” she wrote on X.

“To that end, the United States will provide nearly $157 million in additional assistance to the people of Lebanon for essential needs such as food, shelter, water, protection, and sanitation to help those who have been displaced by the recent conflict. This additional support brings total U.S. assistance to Lebanon over the last year to over $385 million,” she added.

The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.

A 100-foot wide “Vote for Trump” sign in upstate New York is stirring controversy after the City of Amsterdam claimed it’s a big, glowing code violation.

Sticker Mule CEO Anthony Constantino told Fox News Digital he installed the sign on top of the old Fownes glove factory to symbolize the return of American manufacturing and what he calls “the triumph of the underdog against insurmountable adversity.” 

“I think that’s what President Trump did. He triumphed against massive adversity. He’s still doing that with bullets flying by his head,” Constantino said. “And we triumph too. Nobody thought we could build a massive sticker company or a massive tech company in upstate New York.”

But his company now faces adversity in the form of legal action by the City of Amsterdam to prevent the “displaying” and “illumination” of the pro-Trump sign, which is visible from the New York State Thruway. 

TRUMP’S RETURN TO BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA, SITE OF FIRST ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, IS ‘GUTSY,’ SUPPORTERS SAY

According to court documents, the sign violates city code because it “presents a dangerous distraction and impacts traffic flow,” especially at night when it is illuminated. Local officials allege Sticker Mule was informed it would need a permit and several variances to install the sign in August, but the company never responded before the sign went up Oct. 1.

Constantino and his legal team contest the city’s claims. The CEO believes Amsterdam’s Democratic Party-endorsed independent mayor is anti-Trump and has vowed to fight a temporary injunction that requires the sign to be covered up. Amsterdam Mayor Michael Cinquanti did not respond to requests for comment. 

Dressed in a black T-shirt that said “Trump For Peace,” Constantino describes Sticker Mule as “the internet’s fastest growing printing company” with 1,200 employees in 39 countries. His online business began by making stickers but has since expanded to print T-shirts, buttons and magnets and even operates its own online store platform, Sticker Mule Stores. He is proud to report that Sticker Mule has created nearly 1,000 manufacturing jobs in the U.S. over the past few years.

“I like to move fast and do interesting things,” Constantino told Fox News Digital. Success in business gave him the means to reinvest in his hometown of Amsterdam, and the Fownes factory was one of several buildings he bought and restored, filling them with machines and workers. 

FORMER NFL STAR AND TRUMP SUPPORTER ANTONIO BROWN JOINS VOTER REGISTRATION EFFORT IN KEY SWING STATE

“Fownes was a glove manufacturer that left my hometown when I was 2 years old in 1984,” he said, explaining that Amsterdam was “decimated” by job loss when the factory, with its iconic “Fownes” sign, closed its doors.  

“This Fownes sign for years symbolized American manufacturing going to China,” Constantino said. Now, the $150,000 “Vote for Trump” sign sits in its place, heralding a new era of American manufacturing jobs.

The impossible-to-miss sign attracted “major interest,” according to Constantino. To celebrate its installation, his political action committee, StickerPAC, plans to host a “Trump Sign Lighting Party” Oct. 7 at 6 p.m. A news release about the event says UFC superstars Henry Cejudo, Kelvin Gastelum and Tracy Cortez will join Constantino to speak and support the “historic event.” 

According to a representative for Constantino, House Republican Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., is also expected to speak at the event. Stefanik’s office did not respond to a request for comment. 

“The enthusiasm just went through the roof. We’ve got three UFC superstars that wanted to come see it. We’ve got people that want to come from all over the state of New York, people that want to fly in or drive in from all over the country, really, to see the sign get lit up,” Constantino said.

‘TIGHTEST RACE SINCE 2000’: HARRIS-TRUMP SHOWDOWN HITS FINAL STRETCH UNTIL ELECTION DAY

But the festivities may be cut short by legal action from Amsterdam. On Oct. 3, the city code enforcer sent a notice of violation to Sticker Mule that gave the company two days to remove the “Vote for Trump” sign. The city also requested an injunction from the Supreme Court of the State of New York to prevent the sign from being displayed.

“The affidavit claims, without evidence, that the city will suffer irreparable harm because the sign is a dangerous distraction for drivers due to its novelty and the fear that people will stop to take pictures of it,” said Sal Ferlazzo, general counsel for Sticker Mule. “The court, based solely on the city’s presentation and without any opportunity for me to respond, did initially grant a preliminary injunction and restraining order.” 

A hearing is scheduled for Oct. 8 at 10 a.m. Until that time, the court ordered Sticker Mule to refrain from “displaying any sign and/or illumination of any sign on the roof of 26 Elk Street.” 

On the advice of legal counsel, Sticker Mule has temporarily covered up the pro-Trump sign to comply with the court order.

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“I think it’s deeply disturbing,” Constantino said of the city’s action. “I brought nearly a thousand jobs to my hometown, which was decimated when the Fownes company and other companies left. And I’m trying to do something positive, exciting for the community.” 

He suggested Mayor Cinquanti has “TDS” — Trump derangement syndrome — and is fighting the sign for political reasons.

“They do know that they are in violation,” Cinquanti told The Daily Gazette. “They’ve been cited, and we’ll just let that play out as we would with any code violation.”

The mayor, who according to the newspaper has previously called Trump his least favorite president in American history, insisted the city’s objections to the sign are about safety, not politics. 

“I don’t care what the sign says, but distracting the attention of drivers on the freeway is something that needs to be looked at, and that’s what we’re doing,” he told the outlet. 

“Any sign that represents a hazard to the safety of drivers concerns me,” he added. “Anyone who violates city codes is an issue that we deal with, and we are in the process of dealing with it and trying to alleviate what I consider a hazard.”

Regardless of the city’s objections, Constantino said Monday’s event will continue as planned, “featuring UFC Superstars, Free Fish Filets, Cybertrucks and a beautiful Trump sign.”

“The sign is a beautiful sign whether you’re a Democrat or Republican. The sign is a big win for upstate New York, a big win for Amsterdam, New York. It’s a beautiful and uplifting sign. And I think it’s going to become a major tourist attraction, especially if Trump wins,” Constantino said. 

“It’s going to be a unifying event. I’m inviting Democrats and Republicans alike to come watch me unveil the sign. We don’t want all the division going on in this country anymore.”