ANKARA

The Trump administration reportedly is set to release billions in long-delayed US disaster aid, but several blue (Democratic Party-led) states will be excluded, sparking accusations of political favoritism in emergency funding, even as Republicans blame Democrats for shutdown delays, said US media reports.

The administration is preparing to release delayed disaster assistance amid ongoing concerns about whether the aid will reach all affected states, according to a CNN report.

Controversy has arisen over the alleged politicization of aid distribution along partisan lines, between Republican (red)- and Democratic-led states.

Democratic-governed states such as Illinois, Minnesota, and Colorado have complained that they are being cut out of their fair share of disaster relief funds, while Republican-led states are getting needed relief.

President Donald Trump and the Homeland Security secretary have blamed Democrats in connection with the shutdown of the Homeland Security Department – which is in charge of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) – saying that it is harming disaster response efforts.

Democrats have refused to approve a Homeland Security budget without reforms to the department, especially in the wake of an aggressive immigrant crackdown in the Democrat-led state of Minnesota, in which at least two US citizens were killed.