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The Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) on Tuesday suspended more than 20 employees who had signed an open letter warning that the Trump administration’s overhaul of the agency could cripple disaster response.
The letter, released Monday and titled the “Katrina Declaration,” was signed by 191 current and former Fema staffers. Only 35 went public with their names, while the rest remained anonymous over fear of retaliation. The declaration accused President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem of undermining Fema’s authority, appointing unqualified leaders, and cutting resources critical for disaster preparedness. It urged Congress to shield the agency from political interference.
On Tuesday night, some employees who signed with their names received emails saying they had been placed on paid administrative leave “effective immediately.” The messages said staffers were barred from Fema facilities, agency systems, or official duties, but were still expected to remain available during business hours. The emails did not give a reason, stressing that the move was “not disciplinary.”
The suspensions come as the US marks the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, one of the deadliest and costliest disasters in US history. Many of the reforms born out of that catastrophe, the letter warned, are now at risk of being dismantled.
The Trump administration has proposed sweeping changes to Fema, including shifting responsibilities to states and even suggesting “getting rid of Fema.” The agency has already lost nearly one-third of its workforce this year through firings and departures.
Fema’s acting press secretary Daniel Llargues defended the administration, saying Trump’s reforms aimed to remove “red tape, inefficiency, and outdated processes” that had slowed disaster relief.
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