Elon Musk stated on Monday that his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team uncovered that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) allocated $59 million last week for luxury hotel accommodations in New York City for “illegal migrants.”
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Musk alleged that FEMA’s spending violated the law, arguing that the funds were intended for disaster relief but were instead used for upscale lodging. He also announced that efforts would be made to recover the money.
This development follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump to create a council tasked with reviewing FEMA, citing concerns about potential political bias within the agency.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed during an appearance on CNN’s State of the Union that Musk’s DOGE team was granted access to her department’s data as part of an audit she fully supports. Noem explained that President Trump had authorized Musk’s team to access the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) network, which contains private information on disaster relief recipients.
Musk’s team, which aims to cut federal spending, has come under fire for accessing sensitive data without security clearance. This has sparked privacy concerns and resulted in multiple lawsuits. Musk has also hinted that FEMA could face further investigation, stating that the agency is “broken.” Noem expressed her willingness to support changes to FEMA if directed by the President.