Fourteen FEMA whistleblowers were reinstated this week after eight months on leave
Kristi Noem Takes a Hit as FEMA Reverses Course on Suspended Whistleblowers
In a major setback for former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, 14 workers from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) resumed their duties this week, after an eight-month administrative leave for backing a public letter critical of the Trump administration.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency has taken steps to resolve staffing problems that raised concerns about its workforce, including reinstating staff members who were put on leave for criticizing agency policies publicly and extending contracts for certain employees whose agreements were about to end.
According to two FEMA employees, more than 190 current and former staff signed the letter. The document, referred to as the "Katrina Declaration," criticized several policy choices made by President Donald Trump’s administration that the signers argued could lead to a disaster similar to that experienced after Hurricane Katrina, as reported by The Daily Beast.
Staffers who objected to Kristi Noem's handling of FEMA have returned now
During a conversation with NBC News, one FEMA spokesperson said that the agency would not discuss particular personnel changes, but it was “handling pending personnel matters.”
FEMA warned that Kristi Noem’s budget cuts put disaster preparedness at risk.
The spokesperson said, “As we approach the 2026 hurricane season and the FIFA World Cup, FEMA is taking targeted steps to stabilize our workforce and strengthen readiness.
Under new leadership, FEMA is addressing outstanding personnel actions to ensure workforce stability and a strong, deployable surge force for upcoming national events and potential disasters. FEMA remains committed to operational readiness for all major challenges in 2026.”
Abby McIlraith, a FEMA specialist in emergency management and who is also one of the workers reinstated, said that she felt "vindicated". She said, “I feel pretty vindicated, and like we did the right thing”.
On Wednesday, the team got emails notifying them that the investigation had concluded and that they had to resume work on Thursday, she informed. NBC News was the first to report their reinstatement.
Kristi Noem paused many FEMA payments and Mullin's new move
Noem, apart from the reported DHS advertisement, also drew attention for an unparalleled level of authority over personnel and expenditure at FEMA. According to Grist, she halted numerous FEMA payments, causing significant setbacks in disaster recovery. She also wanted to reduce the agency’s on-call staff by thousands of workers. She stated a wish to reduce the agency's size or get rid of it completely, transferring the responsibility for disaster relief to the states.
Many analysts and experts believe that Noem’s involvement with FEMA could potentially be illegal. Attorneys representing a federal employees' union argued before a federal judge in California that Noem’s reductions in workforce were illegal. The critics highlighted laws enacted following Hurricane Katrina that prevent DHS from intervening with FEMA.
Mullin scrapped Noem's policy of personally reviewing all spending over $100,000
The latest changes reflect the most recent signs that Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin is shifting away from the stricter stance on FEMA adopted by his predecessor, Kristi Noem.