Mayorkas condemns reported harassment of FEMA officials responding to hurricanes

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Thursday condemned reports of online harassment of Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) officials in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.

“We’re seeing horrific hate speech of all types propagated on online platforms. That deplorable speech has an impact on people’s lives and it is also a motivating force for people to do harm. And it has got to stop,” Mayorkas told reporters at a White House press briefing.

Federal officials have had to combat misinformation spreading online as they work to respond to the two major storms, which hit swaths of the southeastern U.S. False claims began circulating in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene that devastated parts of the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida.

Mayorkas spoke at the White House press briefing from North Carolina.

The claims have been refuted by FEMA, which created a page titled “Hurricane Rumor Response,” where users can see debunked rumors about the agency’s response. 

The White House and officials in impacted states have for days been trying to push back on misinformation surrounding the hurricane response. The Biden administration also launched a Reddit page intended to share the facts about the response.

Rep. Chuck Edwards (N.C.), a Republican who represents a district hit by Hurricane Helene, posted a press release Tuesday debunking eight “myths” about the storm response, including multiple claims shared by former President Trump.

Mayorkas confirmed there had been at least 10 fatalities from Hurricane Milton. That number is in addition to the more than 200 who were killed by Hurricane Helene.