Donald Trump has dramatically started firing officials responsible for managing finances at the government's disaster relief agency FEMA after it was revealed that they had arranged for migrants to stay in five-star hotels. And the first among the ones to be fired is FEMA's Chief Financial Officer, Mary Comans.
Comans was fired after it was first exposed by Elon Musk that the agency had spent a staggering $59 million on luxury hotels in New York City to accommodate illegal immigrants. In addition, three other officials involved in approving these controversial payments were also fired on Tuesday, according to a Department of Homeland Security official who spoke to the Daily Mail.
No Tolerance by DOGE
"Effective immediately, FEMA is terminating the employment of four individuals for circumventing leadership to unilaterally make egregious payments for luxury NYC hotels for migrants," DHS officials said in a statement.
"Under President Trump and Secretary Noem's leadership, DHS will not sit idly and allow deep state activists to undermine the will and safety of the American people," the statement added.
"Firings include FEMA's Chief Financial Officer, two program analysts and a grant specialist," she noted.
Comans and her team are believed to be some of the most influential figures at FEMA, as they oversee the agency's vast financial resources.
FEMA has faced widespread criticism in the past for allegedly withholding aid from pro-Trump residents in Florida and North Carolina who were affected by hurricanes last year.
The recent firings at FEMA are not connected to the hurricanes but follow Musk's revelation last week about the extensive payments made to hotels in New York.
"That money is meant for American disaster relief and instead is being spent on high-end hotels for illegals," Musk posted on X on Monday — and promised DOGE would be making "a clawback demand ... to recoup those funds."
Over the weekend, Musk teased which federal agency his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) might target next, following its recent dismantling of USAID. Trump's billionaire "first buddy" has been using his newfound influence to take aggressive action against U.S. government agencies.
He shared on X that DOGE uncovered FEMA's $59 million expenditure on New York hotels to house illegal immigrants, a move that directly defied Trump's orders to halt such spending.
Illegally Legal
Cameron Hamilton, FEMA's acting administrator, responded by saying that the agency had halted payments for housing migrants in New York City starting Monday. However, New York City Hall officials have claimed they were not informed of any suspension in funding and have not been contacted about Musk's demand for a recovery of the funds.
Officials also denied Musk's claims that the money went to luxury hotels, although they did not directly address the billionaire's accusations.
According to officials, only $19 million of the $59 million Musk highlighted in his tweet was allocated for housing migrants in hotels. "We have already spent over $7 billion on this crisis alone, and the previous administration committed only $237 million in funding to help house the migrants in our care and for future services," the City Hall statement reads.
"We have continued to receive previously allocated reimbursements through the past week. We will discuss this matter directly with federal officials."
Many of Musk's claims could not be independently verified, as neither he nor Hamilton provided further details regarding the funds.
It's likely that Musk was referring to payments made through FEMA's Shelter and Services Program, which reimburses local governments and organizations for costs related to migrants. The funding comes from Congress and is distinct from FEMA's primary disaster relief fund, which is used to support individuals and governments impacted by disasters.
In 2024, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees FEMA, ordered Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to allocate $650 million from its FY2024 budget to FEMA for the Shelter and Services Program, according to the Congressional Research Service. CBP is also under the DHS umbrella.
Trisha McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the DHS, declined to comment on the payments but referenced recent remarks made by Secretary Kristi Noem. "As Secretary Noem said yesterday, we must get rid of FEMA the way it exists today," she said.
On Tuesday morning, President Trump appeared to praise DOGE's efforts. "DOGE: BILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF WASTE, FRAUD, AND ABUSE BRING (sic) FOUND. CAMPAIGN PROMISE. IMPORTANT FOR AMERICA!!!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
