### Mayorkas Denounces Election and Hurricane Disinformation as Harmful and Dangerous

WASHINGTON - Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas issued a stern warning on Sunday about the severe harm caused by election-related disinformation and false claims regarding the government's hurricane response. Speaking on "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan," Mayorkas emphasized the detrimental impact of these falsehoods on public trust and behavior.

"Disinformation erodes confidence in the election system's integrity, and it is crucial for authoritative figures to relay accurate information to voters," Mayorkas asserted. His remarks came in the wake of a CBS News poll indicating that 65% of Trump supporters believe the Biden administration is intentionally increasing migrant crossings at the southern border, with nearly three-quarters of those respondents attributing it to a desire for noncitizens to vote. Mayorkas refuted these claims, highlighting that only U.S. citizens can vote in federal elections and noting that illegal crossings had decreased to their lowest point during President Biden's tenure as of September.

"The idea that law enforcement is allowing illegal border crossings to enable voting is absurd and should be condemned by all, regardless of political affiliation," Mayorkas stated.

Mayorkas also expressed deep concern about disinformation following hurricanes that have recently afflicted the southeastern United States. "False information, deliberately spread to affect people's behavior and perceptions, is incredibly pernicious," he said, pointing out that it hinders disaster victims from seeking essential aid.

Hurricane Milton struck near Siesta Key, Florida, on October 9, causing tornadoes and severe flooding, just weeks after Hurricane Helene hit Florida's Big Bend region. Despite these events, misinformation about the government's recovery efforts, often spread by former President Donald Trump, has been widespread.

Mayorkas called for public officials and influencers to actively counter such false narratives. "We're not seeing enough debunking of this misinformation, and that is incredibly irresponsible, especially towards survivors of these extreme weather events," he added.

President Biden has joined in these efforts, consistently urging Americans to discern the truth amidst widespread falsehoods about the government's hurricane response. "The misinformation out there is not only just disgusting, but it's dangerous and misleading," Biden remarked during a hurricane briefing at the White House, emphasizing the administration's commitment to providing necessary resources.

Biden also took a direct swipe at Trump for propagating these falsehoods, urging him to "get a life" and focus on assisting those affected by the hurricanes. "Help these people," Biden implored.