A quick lingo lesson: in budget terms, when Congress gives money to Federal operations, that’s an appropriation. When Congress tells these offices what they can spend this money on, that’s an authorization.
Appropriations of money for Federal offices are typically two-year money - if appropriated for fiscal year 2017, the money doesn’t expire until the end of fiscal year 2018. This way, if a project is delayed into the next fiscal year the work can still be completed without having to go back to Congress to appropriate the money again.
It’s not unusual to see money about to expire be reallocated elsewhere in the organization, but Congress must be informed of the transfer (changes from approved authorizations). (And I think that transfers over a certain level must be approved by Congress)
If this is being called a legal transfer, then it’s probably a move of expiring money.
However, that raises a new question - Why were there surplus funds? Why weren’t these funds the first spent in support of continuing disaster recovery for hurricanes Maria and Harvey? Or even day-to-day FEMA operations? (Standard federal practice is to spend old money first. After expensive disasters in Puerto Rico and Texas that money should have been long gone).
Thank-you for that explanation. I figured that if it was clearly illegal Merkly would have said so, but I couldn’t figure out how shifting money between agencies was even possible .
Fishy as all get out though. I’m sure it hasn’t been done right, FEMA shouldn’t have had any money to spare, let alone for such a blatantly unconstitutional use at ICE
During our wildfire evacuation out here the local agencies were adamant that no one would be checking papers at the shelters in order to get everyone out of harms way.
Ah they can say that, but will people believe them? Once trust is lost it’s lost.
Also, the sheriff’s folks could be operating in completely good faith, only to ICE turn up at the shelters anyway, the same way they stake out crime victims at the court house. With a rouge federal agency, local first responders can’t know that their promises will hold.
Proposed Dem framing of the GOP: “Reckless Republicans”. It is an apt term, but also one that runs counter to their self-description as “conservative”.
“They call themselves conservative, but they aren’t. They take reckless risks with your health, with the lives of our soldiers, with your savings, with the education of your children, with your healthcare, and with your Social Security and Medicare.”
Well I also heard that, but now that USIC is coordinating with ICE arresting those undocumented immigrants that are one the path to being legal, then I think the fear is real. It was more recent than the wildfires that the announcement of looking at those with green cards, or permanent resident status, that are seeking to become citizens better than not take any government benefits. This isn’t about what the local agencies are saying but what the feds are promoting, which sucks.
Acc: to the Senator and the docs he showed, the money is from relief and recovery. The DHS spokesperson has been known to lie or not be well informed, either way…grain of salt.
Technically both ICE and FEMA belong to Homeland Security, so the transfer was possible. Transfers are allowed internally within the major departments - Homeland Security, Agriculture, Defense, Interior, etc.
