FEMA Suspends Staffers After Open Letter Raises Alarm on Agency Cuts

WASHINGTON, Aug. 27, 2025 (Reuters) - The Federal Emergency Management Agency placed roughly 30 employees on paid administrative leave Tuesday after they endorsed an open letter warning that recent budget cuts and personnel changes under the Trump administration have weakened the agency’s ability to respond to major disasters.

The letter, unveiled Monday on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, was signed by more than 180 current and former FEMA staffers. Thirty-six employees attached their names, while the remainder signed anonymously, citing fear of reprisal. Those identified received emails Tuesday informing them they would be on “non-duty status” effective immediately but would continue to receive pay and benefits.

In the declaration to Congress, authors argued that reforms enacted since Katrina to streamline disaster relief have been undercut by restrictions requiring Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s personal review of contracts and mission assignments over $100,000. They warned such delays could reproduce the disastrous response that left thousands stranded in New Orleans two decades ago.

Acting FEMA leadership did not specify grounds for the leave notices, describing them as non-punitive and unrelated to performance. A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security defended ongoing efforts to “increase accountability and reduce red tape” across the agency, stating that some “bureaucratic inefficiencies” remain from past administrations.

Critics contend the suspensions signal an intolerant approach to dissent within federal agencies. Advocacy group Stand Up for Science, which helped publicize the letter, condemned the action as a retaliatory move against civil servants fulfilling their duty to alert Congress and the American public to risks in disaster preparedness.

President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticized FEMA’s performance and suggested shifting more disaster response responsibilities to states or abolishing the agency altogether. Since early 2025, FEMA has seen roughly one-third of its workforce depart through firings, buyouts, or retirements.

Observers warn that further erosion of FEMA’s capacity could leave communities vulnerable to increasingly severe hurricanes, wildfires, and floods, undermining federal disaster relief at a time when climate-driven catastrophes are intensifying across the United States.