FEMA plan says services should be equitable, not to help 'white people last' | Fact check
The claim: FEMA has been directed to ‘help white people last’
An Oct. 4 post on Threads (direct link, archive link) makes a claim about the priorities of the Federal Emergency Management Agency under President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.
“Friendly reminder: under the Biden Harris administration FEMA is supposed to help out white people last for the purpose of ‘equity,” the post reads. “Don’t believe me? It’s literally on the FEMA website.”
The post was liked more than 100 times in six days.
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Our rating: False
While delivering services and support in an equitable manner to victims of a disaster is a goal for FEMA, there is no evidence the agency has been directed to prioritize its work on the basis of race. The agency said it provides aid to all regardless of race.
Agency reports note inequitable access to services
FEMA had provided more than $286 million in aid to victims of Hurricane Helene as of Oct. 8 and stood ready to provide more to those affected by that storm and Hurricane Milton.
That assistance came in a number of forms, and contrary to the social media claim, the agency did not use race – or any other demographic characteristics – to determine who received aid.
“FEMA provides assistance to survivors regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, disability, English proficiency or economic status,” the agency wrote in one of a series of posts addressing rumors about hurricane recovery.
USA TODAY reached out to the social media user who shared the claim for comment but did not immediately receive a response. However, the user shared a link in the comments to a FEMA website that states a goal of the agency is to "instill equity as a foundation of emergency management." The goal page is part of FEMA’s 2022-2026 strategic plan.
While shared to serve as proof of the claim to another user, neither the goal page nor the entire strategic plan reference considering race when FEMA provides assistance.
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That goal was informed by multiple analyses showing disparities in accessing assistance through FEMA. One of those reviews, performed by the National Advisory Council, included suggestions on how to minimize the disparities in access to aid by different demographic groups. However, none of the suggestions mention prioritizing one race over another.
USA TODAY previously debunked false claims that FEMA hurricane aid is limited to $750 per person, that its disaster funds were diverted to house migrants and that the agency has the ability to seize your property.
Lead Stories, PolitiFact, Check Your Fact and The Dispatch also debunked the claim.
Our fact-check sources:
FEMA, updated Oct. 9, Rumor: FEMA distributes aid based on demographic characteristics
FEMA, updated Feb. 6, 2022–2026 FEMA Strategic Plan
National Advisory Council, Nov. 2020, Report to the Administrator
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Post misrepresents equity goal of FEMA | Fact check
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